Three allegations are made against the police every day

Allegations of bad behaviour investigated by watchdog

THREE allegations of bad behaviour are made against Leicestershire police every day on average.

The latest figures from the police watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) revealed 1,124 allegations were lodged in 2018/19.

Allegations can include things like being pushed by officers, experiencing sexual assault, discrimination and neglect though the figures are not broken down at a local level across forces.

The data does reveal the outcomes of allegations against Leicestershire police that received a final outcome in 2018/19 - of which there were 1,149. Some of these may refer to allegations made in previous years.

Nearly half (521) were given a local resolution. These are generally used to deal with less serious allegations, such as rudeness.

When this happens,

alocal police supervisor might provide an explanation, apologise on behalf of the force, offer a written explanation of the circumstances and action taken, or resolve the complaint over the counter or phone.

When a complaint resolved this way, it investigated further.

This was the case for 437 of the allegations given a final outcome in 2018/19.

A further 93 allegations against Leicestershire police can’t be must be were withdrawn. There also 82 disapplications.

This can happen for various reasons, such as if the allegation was made more than a year after the incident took place or if the complainant didn’t provide their name or address.

The figures show 16 of the allegations against Leicestershire police saw the investigation discontinued.

This can take place when, for example, the complainant refuses to cooperate or the complaint were itself is found to be repetitious.

The total 1,124 allegations made in 2018/19 was actually down from 1,334 the year before.

Michael Lockwood, director general of the IOPC, said: “The police hold significant powers that enable them to enforce the law.

“A fair, transparent and timely complaints process is important for ensuring the public can have faith in how police officers exercise these powers.”