Reporting Dissatisfaction & Complaints Against Police Officers & Police Staff
Reporting dissatisfaction with the service you have received
This guide sets out the standards of service we aim to achieve when you report any dissatisfaction with the service you have received. We aim to do all of this within 24 hours of you reporting that dissatisfaction to us. If you would like to report dissatisfaction as opposed to making a complaint about an officer or member of staff, please click here.
Please view the following standards of service we aim to achieve
All members of staff at Gloucestershire Constabulary know the vital importance of providing the highest possible level of service to the public, although, there may be an occasion where you feel that the conduct of an officer/member of staff falls below the standard that can be expected, or that their actions may amount to misconduct. If this happens, you have the right to complain.
If your complaint is about our policies or procedures, or the general level of service provided, please go to the last paragraph for further information.
Should I make a complaint?
The Constabulary are accountable to the local community and know that public confidence is vital. The complaints system plays an important part in public reassurance and if you make a complaint we will ensure that you are kept informed of the actions we will take and the progress of the investigation. You have a right to complain and openly question the actions of the Constabulary. We will listen to your complaint and take your needs and views seriously.
In some instances your complaint may have arisen from a misunderstanding rather than a wrongdoing, so there will not be any disciplinary proceedings against officers or staff. However, we will learn from this and change our policies and practices when appropriate.
If you require further information about the complaints process this is available on the website of the Independent Police Complaints Commission at www.ipcc.gov.uk
How do I make a complaint?
You can make a complaint if you are directly affected by police misconduct, if you witnessed it or on behalf of someone else who has been affected.
- Fill in an electronic complaints form which will be e-mailed to the Professional Standards Department
- Go to a police station and ask to be seen by a senior police officer (usually an Inspector or Sergeant) who will subject to operational commitments be able to meet with you. Alternatively if no one is available, then we will arrange for you to be called back at a convenient time and date to suit you.
- Write a letter with a full account of the incident to:
Chief Inspector Professional Standards Dept
Gloucestershire Constabulary
No.1 Waterwells
Waterwells Drive
Quedgeley
Gloucester
GL2 2AN
- Write directly to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, 90 High Holborn, London WC1V 6BH who will contact the Chief Constable of the force involved.
(www.ipcc.gov.uk) - Visit your local Citizen's Advice Bureau (www.nacab.org.uk), Racial Equality Council, Neighbourhood Warden, Youth Offending Team or Probation Service, all of which can provide information, known as IPCC Complaints Access Points.
- Telephone the Constabulary (101)
- Contact your solicitor, an MP and ask them to make a complaint for you.
- Nominate a person to act on your behalf (they must have your written consent).
What details should I include?
- What happened
- When it happened
- Who was involved
- What was said or done
- Whether there were witnesses other than yourself and the person serving with the police
- Details of any damage or injury that took place
- The identity of the officer/member of staff (if known)
- What you are complaining about
- What outcome are you seeking
- How you can be contacted, including your address, telephone number(s) or e-mail address as applicable.
What's the next step?
We will review your complaint and decide if your complaint is one that should be recorded as an official complaint against a person servicing with the police, under the terms of the Police Reform Act 2002. If we do not record it you can appeal to the IPCC.
If it is so recorded, with your agreement we will try to resolve it by local resolution with an appropriate explanation or apology in time scales that we have agreed with you. In many cases this will enable us to respond to you in a timely manner and provide a prompt explanation to you. This is a more proportionate and effective way of resolving your complaint.
More serious complaints or instances where you are not satisfied with a local resolution must be subject to a more formal investigation by a senior police officer or member of police staff. This process involves a formal investigation into the conduct of the police officer or member of police staff and will take longer, and use formal disciplinary processes. We will keep you informed of progress during the investigation and send you our findings in writing.
The force must notify the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) about the most serious complaints as soon as they are recorded. In some cases the IPCC will decide that the complaint should be supervised by them, either using investigators from this, or another Force or may independently investigate the matter themselves. You will be notified of their decision.
After the investigation
The Crown Prosecution Service decides whether any criminal charges will be brought against any police officer/member of staff as a result of the complaint. The Independent Police Complaints Commission will determine whether there has been a breach of the Police Code of Conduct and whether any officer should face misconduct charges. In the case of a member of staff it will be determined if they their actions are such that they should be dealt with under internal disciplinary procedures.
You will be informed if there will be a misconduct or discipline hearing. You are likely to be asked to attend as a witness if the hearing is of an officer. Alternatively, it may be that the officer/member of staff will be subject to less formal misconduct action such as receiving advice or a written warning, or perhaps it will be determined that no action should be taken.
If there are no misconduct charges, you will receive a letter explaining the outcome of your complaint, and a summary of the investigation. If you are not satisfied with the result or if you think that the way your complaint was locally resolved was not fair, you can appeal to the IPCC.
We will learn from your complaint and review working practices accordingly. We will publish details of complaint trends publicly and report in detail to the Police Authority and the IPCC.
What if I don't want to co-operate with an investigation?
You should remember that you are a vital witness to any investigation and that if you fail to co-operate, it could mean that it will not be possible to fully investigate your complaint. The Constabulary will then seek a dispensation from the IPCC from investigating further.
Making a complaint does not affect your right to take the police to court and sue for damages. For advice on taking civil action you should contact a solicitor.
Complaints that do not allege misconduct by individual officers or member(s) of staff
Complaints that do not allege misconduct by officers or member(s) of staff cannot be dealt with under the procedures introduced under the Police Reform Act 2002. This might include a complaint about a Constabulary policy or procedure, or even about the level of service provided in response to an incident. Such complaints should be made in writing to the address shown above, or the Divisional Commander for the area responsible. If received centrally, this will then be passed to the appropriate division or department, who will then respond accordingly. Once dealt with any issues or trends that are identified are considered to determine if our policies or practices need to be amended.
Where do I get more information from how I can make a complaint?
Further information is available from the IPCC web site, or by requesting a leaflet entitled, "How to Make a Complaint" available from any police station.
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