Mr Gerry McNeilly was appointed Ontario’s first Independent Police Review Director (IPRD) in June 2008, and served for 12 years until March 2019. He was responsible for receiving, managing and overseeing all public complaints against police in Ontario.

Prior to his appointment as IPRD, Mr McNeilly served as the Executive Director for Legal Aid Manitoba for nine years. In 1994, he was appointed Chair and given the responsibility to establish a standing tribunal for human rights adjudication – now known as the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario. He has served as a justice of the peace and a deputy judge. During his years at the Ministry of the Attorney General, Mr McNeilly served as the Director of the Unified Family Court, a manager of mediation services, the Acting Director of Courts Administration and helped establish the Unified Family Court system throughout Canada. Mr McNeilly is also a trained mediator for all areas of law.

Mr McNeilly has conducted training, reviews and practiced in the areas of mediation (ADR), workplace investigation (including alleged workplace discrimination, harassment and other workplace investigative issues), workplace restoration services, organizational, operational and service reviews, Civilian Oversight of Police and Policing issues (including investigation of police conduct, audits and reviews). He has also been a featured presenter, trainer, and speaker at numerous conferences both nationally and internationally.

Mr McNeilly was a founding member and the first chair of the African Canadian Legal Clinic in Toronto and A Woman’s Place in Winnipeg, which provides legal support services to abused women.

Mr McNeilly studied law at Queen’s University and has been called to the Bars of Ontario and Manitoba.