Police need more than just a tip before a warrantless search

The Ontario Court of Appeal (OCA) has sent a strong message to police that they can’t take anonymous tips at face value but must investigate them further, says Ottawa criminal lawyer Céline Dostaler.

“Officers need to know they can’t just take a tip from an individual without checking more information to make sure that person’s rights are being followed,” Dostaler, founder of Céline Dostaler Professional Corporation, tells AdvocateDaily.com.