A guide to the police

complaints system
2 A guide to the police complaints system

Who deals with complaints about

the police?
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) oversees
the police complaints system. We set standards that the police
should follow when they handle complaints, and investigate
the most serious and sensitive matters ourselves.

The majority of complaints are What do we expect of forces?

dealt with directly by police
forces, usually by a specific
department within the force
– the professional standards
department (PSD).
What must forces refer to
the IOPC?
Police forces must refer certain
serious allegations and incidents
to us – for example, if someone
dies or is seriously injured
following contact with the
police. Similarly, if an allegation
is made that an officer has
seriously assaulted someone
or committed a serious sexual
offence, this must also be
referred to us.
We expect police forces to
take complaints seriously and
resolve the issues that the
person making a complaint has
experienced. The police should
make changes where necessary,
learning from complaints to
improve the way they do things
and stop the same problem
happening again.
This leaflet tells you broadly how
the police complaints system
works. We also produce a range
of guidance for police forces
about how we expect them to
deal with complaints. This is
available on our website, along
with more detailed information
for people using the complaints
system.
A guide to the police complaints system 3

How do I make a complaint?

The best way to make a complaint is to contact

the police force involved. Police force websites
include information about how to complain,
or you can visit any police station.

If you are complaining in person, you can bring

someone with you – for example, a friend or
advocate. If you prefer, someone can make a
complaint on your behalf, but you must give your
permission in writing for them to do this.

When you make a complaint, you can expect

the police force to listen to you, act in a fair
and balanced way, and seek to put things right.

A complaint form is also available on our website.

Please note that if you complain using our form,
we will forward your complaint to the force
involved.
4 A guide to the police complaints system

What happens after I make a complaint?

If your complaint can be resolved straight away by giving
you some information or explaining what happened, then
the police should do this.

If your complaint needs to be Contacting you

looked into, the police force PSD
should make a formal record of The person dealing with your
your complaint and let you know complaint should contact
they have done this. you to make sure they have
all the details of what you are
complaining about. They
should ask you what you want
Once a complaint is to happen.
recorded, it must be
dealt with according For example, you might want
an apology, a problem to be put
to certain rules and
right, or an officer to be held
guidance. If the police
to account.
do not record your
complaint, you can They will be able to tell you
appeal to the IOPC. how they will deal with your
complaint, and what is likely to
happen as a result. For example,
they may provide you with
information or an explanation
for what happened. Or they
may arrange a meeting with the
person you are complaining
about.
A guide to the police complaints system 5

Local resolution
Local resolution is a way for
police forces to deal with less
serious complaints more quickly.
It is suitable for many complaints,
but not for more serious matters,
where an investigation must be
carried out to look into what has
happened. Local resolution can
result in some of the following
actions being taken to resolve
your complaint:

information an apology being an explanation of

and/or an explanation given on behalf of the circumstances
being provided the force and any action
taken

a meeting could the force policy or steps could be

be arranged with procedures could taken to find out
the person the be changed more information
complaint is about

The person dealing with your complaint will let you know the
outcome when they have looked into what happened. They
may do this in person or on the phone, but they should also
write to you.
6 A guide to the police complaints system

Local investigation
Most complaints will be dealt with by local resolution.
However, if this method is not suitable, the police force
PSD will carry out an investigation into your complaint.
Certain complaints must be dealt with in this way.

The person dealing with your When the investigation

complaint may set ‘terms of
reference’. Terms of reference
explain what the investigation will
look at. If these are produced,
you should receive a copy.
Keeping you informed during
a complaint investigation
The person looking into your
complaint must keep you
informed about the progress of
the investigation. They should
agree with you how you would
like to be kept informed – this
could be by phone, in person
or by letter.
You must receive an
update at least every
28 days.
is complete
When the investigation is
complete, you will be told what it
has found, and if your complaint
has been upheld. You will also
be told whether any action is
going to be taken as a result of
your complaint, what the action
is and what the outcome of that
action is. For example, an officer
might face disciplinary action.
You should receive enough
information at the end of the
investigation to understand
what has happened during
the investigation, and what
decisions have been reached.
Sometimes, you may be given a
copy of the investigation report.
A guide to the police complaints system 7

What if I am still unhappy?

If you are unhappy with the outcome of your complaint
you can appeal in some circumstances – this could be
either to the police force or to the IOPC, depending on
how the complaint has been dealt with.

The letter telling you the outcome

of your complaint should include
information about how to appeal,
and how long you have to do this.
How can I find out more?
All the information you need to make a complaint or appeal,
and details of what to expect when you do, is available online.

You can visit your local police force website or the IOPC website:
www.policeconduct.gov.uk

You can also get information from any police station.

To obtain this leaflet in another language or format, please use

the contact details below.

030 0020 0096

enquiries@policeconduct.gov.uk

www.policeconduct.gov.uk

January 2018

This document is also available in Welsh.

Mae’r ddogfen hon ar gael yn y Gymraeg hefyd.