In December 1988, the Ontario government established the Task Force on Race Relations and Policing following the deaths of several black men. During hearings conducted by the task force, there was public concern, spearheaded by the Black Action Defence Committee, about a conflict of interest when the police conduct their own investigations. The task force's report recommended 57 changes in the law and policing policies. As a result, the SIU was formed in 1990 under a new Ontario Police Services Act, introduced by Ontario Solicitor General Steven Offer. Initially, the SIU was headquartered in Toronto, but in 2000 it moved to its current location in Mississauga. Notification The police are legally obliged to notify the SIU to report any incidents that may fall within the SIU's jurisdiction, which is set out in section 16(1) of the Ontario SIU Act. Also, the SIU receives and acts on requests from members of the media, lawyers, coroners, medical professionals, the Office of the Independent Police Review Director and affected people who allege they have been injured or sexually assaulted by police. Once the SIU is notified, an investigative supervisor gathers information to determine whether the complaint/incident falls within their mandate. If so, they will launch an investigation. Investigations Although the circumstances of every case are unique, the approach to most investigations is the same. The investigative process begins by assigning a lead investigator and as many investigators, forensic investigators, and resources as necessary. Investigations typically involve: Collecting evidence and securing it for forensic examination Interviewing witnesses Arranging for medical care Notifying the coroner if necessary Submitting an investigation brief, which is reviewed by the investigative supervisor, the executive officer, and the director. Once all of the facts are gathered, the Director then makes a decision as to whether or not charges are warranted. Under section 35(1) of the SIU Act , the SIU director must ensure that the investigation is concluded within 120 days and provide public note or, failing that, provide a public statement on the status of the investigation every 30 days. Investigators The SIU consists of investigators from both civilian and police backgrounds. All of the Unit's investigators have extensive experience investigating serious incidents, such as deaths, sexual assault allegations, serious assaults, shootings, and motor vehicle incidents, and have their own secure facilities where investigations take place. Forensics investigators In the beginning, due to a shortage of resources, the SIU