Complaints Against Police Officers 2018-2020
Date of request: April 27, 2020
Reference: 440/20
Request
- The number of complaints against police officers within your police force, separated by reason for the complaint, for the years 2018 – 2020, inclusive to the present day.
- The number of complaints made against officers since 26 March 2020 to the present day as a result of the police enforcement powers that have come into effect in order to reduce the spread of coronavirus.
Response
Please see the number of complaints received in the table below. Not all complaints will be upheld.
Please note as of 1st February 2020 the regulations against which complaints against the police are recorded changed, therefore they may not be a direct comparison between each year for some complaint types.
| Complaint Type | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Total |
| Abuse of position for other purpose | 1 | 1 | ||
| Bail, identification and interview procedures | 2 | 2 | ||
| Breach of Pace | 31 | 43 | 1 | 75 |
| Corrupt practice | 13 | 9 | 22 | |
| Decisions | 39 | 39 | ||
| Detention in police custody | 4 | 4 | ||
| Disclosure of information | 7 | 7 | ||
| Discreditable conduct | 1 | 1 | ||
| Discrimination (Age) | 1 | 1 | ||
| Discrimination (Disability) | 2 | 2 | ||
| Discrimination (Race) | 3 | 3 | ||
| Discrimination (Sex) | 4 | 4 | ||
| Discriminatory Behaviour | 38 | 35 | 6 | 79 |
| Evidential procedures | 4 | 4 | ||
| General level of service | 42 | 42 | ||
| General policing standards | 14 | 10 | 24 | |
| Handling of information | 4 | 4 | ||
| Handling of or damage to property/premises | 7 | 7 | ||
| Impolite and intolerant actions | 2 | 2 | ||
| Impolite language/tone | 30 | 30 | ||
| Improper disclosure of information | 33 | 41 | 5 | 79 |
| Incivility, impoliteness and intolerance | 83 | 83 | 7 | 173 |
| Information | 29 | 29 | ||
| Irregularity in evidence/perjury | 12 | 8 | 1 | 21 |
| Lack of fairness and impartiality | 22 | 24 | 11 | 57 |
| Mishandling of property | 11 | 13 | 2 | 26 |
| Obstruction of justice | 5 | 5 | ||
| Operational management decisions | 11 | 2 | 13 | |
| Operational policing policies | 4 | 7 | 2 | 13 |
| Oppressive conduct or harassment | 43 | 34 | 3 | 80 |
| Organisational decisions | 3 | 3 | ||
| Other | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Other assault | 69 | 89 | 4 | 162 |
| Other irregularity in procedure | 16 | 15 | 31 | |
| Other neglect or failure in duty | 441 | 450 | 65 | 956 |
| Other policies and procedures | 7 | 7 | ||
| Other sexual conduct | 2 | 2 | ||
| Out of court disposals | 4 | 4 | ||
| Overbearing or harassing behaviours | 21 | 21 | ||
| Police action following contact | 115 | 115 | ||
| Power to arrest and detain | 10 | 10 | ||
| Searches of premises and seizure of property | 8 | 8 | ||
| Serious non-sexual assault | 2 | 6 | 8 | |
| Sexual assault | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Stops, and stop and search | 10 | 10 | ||
| Traffic irregularity | 10 | 5 | 1 | 16 |
| Unlawful/unnecessary arrest or detention | 31 | 28 | 1 | 60 |
| Unprofessional attitude and disrespect | 14 | 14 | ||
| Use of force | 23 | 23 | ||
| Use of police systems | 1 | 1 | ||
| Use of police vehicles | 5 | 5 | ||
| Total | 886 | 909 | 516 | 2,311 |
Outcome breakdowns:
- Disapplied/De-recorded/No further action required – (Does not meet the requirements to investigate) –253
- Locally resolved/ Resolved / (not misconduct) – 1377
- Investigated but not upheld (no misconduct) / The service provide was acceptable (no misconduct) – 350
- Complaints withdrawn – 80
- Upheld /The service provided was not acceptable/ Special Requirements – 60
- Live complaints – 19
Since 26th March 2020, we have formally recorded 77 complaints that relate to “the police enforcement powers that have come into effect in order to reduce the spread of coronavirus”.
Outcome breakdowns:
- Disapplied/De-recorded/No further action required – (Does not meet the requirements to investigate) – 27
- Resolved – 44
- Live – 6
Please note of the 77 complaints received as a result of the police enforcement powers that have come into effect to reduce the spread of coronavirus, no complaints have been assessed as Misconduct.