Quebec's ombudsman is set to weigh in on the controversial practice of police investigating each other following violent law-enforcement operations.

Raymonde Saint-Germain will present the National Assembly with the findings of her probe into the investigations that follow a death or injury during a police operation.

An outside police force is automatically called in following such incidents, though critics contend that police officers often lack objectivity when investigating their colleagues. The Quebec government and law-enforcement agencies have both defended the competence of police officers to investigate their own.

St. Germain's report into police oversight of police follows a cross-Quebec tour that included members of her staff. She has previously acknowledged that the current system is seen as flawed by some critics.

The ombudsman said in a previous report that police investigations of civilian deaths or injuries must result "not only in the appearance of justice, but must also bring about real justice" for the civilians involved.

Criminal charges rare

A CTV investigation last year found that outside police forces rarely recommend criminal charges in instances where civilians are hurt or killed during police operations.

Cop-on-cop investigations have also come under scrutiny during the inquiry into the shooting death of teenager Fredy Villanueva by Montreal police officer Jean-Loup Lapointe in August, 2008.

The inquest, which began late last year, has raised questions about the SQ probe led by Sgt.-Det. Bruno Duchesne. Duchesne testified that he never spoke with the officer who fired the fatal shots, nor did he ever interview the officer's partner.

Duchesne also said that he never took steps to ensure that the partners kept away from each other in the days and weeks following the teen's death.

International interest

The issue has also caught the attention of the United Nations, which sent a minority-rights expert to Montreal and other Canadian cities to speak to various community groups and other officials.

The U.N. envoy's report into Canadian law-enforcement practices is set to be released next month.

Request denied

Last last year, the Quebec ombudsman refused a request by CTV to obtain a preliminary version of her report into police investigations. The ombudsman said that releasing the report would compromise her ongoing probe.

The Information Commissioner of Quebec stepped in to mediate at CTV's request, but to no avail.