Andre Marin says government officials "systematically" discouraged the SIU director from speaking out about unco-operative police officers and dismissed concerns about the vetting of police notes by lawyers.
He says the Ministry of the Attorney General also suppressed an internal SIU report that raised similar concerns, calling it "provocative" and not "useful."
Marin released another report in 2008 on the SIU that found the civilian body lacked resources, failed to conduct rigorous and transparent investigations and suffered from a perceived pro-police bias.
He recommended that legislation be enacted to support the watchdog, which the government and the SIU welcomed at the time.
"When I launched this investigation, I discovered that the ministry really had no intention of acting on my most important recommendations," Marin said Wednesday.
"Even more disturbing, it was actively working against the SIU director in his efforts to do as I suggested."
His investigation uncovered a ministry briefing note that said the government wouldn't be considering legislation "in the near term" largely because of "vehement police opposition."
The SIU was created in 1990 to investigate cases where police are involved in the serious injury or death of civilians.
Marin said the SIU has made "considerable progress" since his 2008 report, but the government hasn't been as helpful.
It did ask former Ontario Chief Justice Patrick LeSage to conduct confidential consultations with police officials and the SIU in late 2009, he said.
LeSage made some recommendations last April, three of which were implemented by the ministry in August, Marin said.
However, "many major issues" still aren't addressed and there needs to be "comprehensive legislative reform" to ensure accountability of police oversight, he added.
"The ministry has failed the SIU, and by doing so, it has failed the public and the police."
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