Consistency call for police complaints

POLICE forces across Wales and England remain inconsistent in their approach to handling complaints made by the public, according to new figures released by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

The statistics released by the IPCC yesterday revealed 34,103 complaints were recorded by forces in Wales and England in 2016/17, slightly below last year’s figures.

However, there seemed to be a great deal of variation between forces, both in the number of complaints and the way they are handled.

South Wales Police recorded a total of 770 complaints, a 5% decrease on last year. A total of 54% of cases were investigated by the force, while 19% were dealt with through local resolution.

The IPCC has called for complaints procedures to be simplified, and for a consistent approach to complaints and complainants across the system.

IPCC chairwoman Dame Anne Owens said: “The public need to have a high level of confidence in the police complaints system.

“If they complain about their local police force they should be assured that it will be dealt with robustly and fairly. The current system is extremely complex and bureaucratic and this has led to some of the inconsistencies we have recorded year on year.

“It is also not sufficiently independent, since some dissatisfied complainants can only appeal to the force that rejected their complaint in the first place.”

“Significant changes” will be made to the police complaints system in 2018, including a greater role for police and crime commissioners, who will decide on appeals that do not go to the IPCC.

Assistant Chief Constable Jeremy Vaughan, of South Wales Police, said: “Police officers and staff within South Wales deal with over 400,000 incidents a year and always strive to ensure that we work to the highest professional standards to maintain public confidence and trust.

“It is important to us that the public of South Wales has confidence with the complaints system, allowing them to tell us when they feel their policing service has fallen below their expectations.

“We have made it easier than ever before to complain, and the public can now do so via our website and the IPCC.

“The information we receive gives us the ability to help continue to drive up our performance and standards.”