Members of the public will get a chance today to express their views on 'carding' as the first public consultation on the controversial practice comes to town.

Police street checks, also known as carding, is the practice of stopping people on the street, then asking for identification and recording it for later use.

While Ottawa Police say it is an important policing tool to help prevent and solve crimes, Ontario's Ombudsman Andre Marin has called the practice "illegal."

The Ontario government has committed to overhauling street checks, launching province-wide consultations with members of the public, community organizations, policing partners, and civil liberty organizations to develop a set of rules and guidelines to govern street checks.

Members of the public are encouraged to pre-register for the event at Carleton University from 4-6 p.m. Friday, August 21st, 2015. The two-hour meeting is being held by the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services.

More to come.