Posted: Tuesday 8 December 2009
Police Complaints: Statistics for Scotland 08/09
PCCS publishes complaints statistics about Scotland’s police
The Police Complaints Commissioner for Scotland (PCCS) has today (8 December 2009) published statistics detailing complaints made by members of the public about the police.
The annual return, which brings together statistics from each of Scotland's eight police forces, reports that 4,862 complaint cases were received during 2008/09, an increase of 13%.
Only Strathclyde Police and Northern Constabulary recorded fewer complaint cases during the period, dropping by 3 and 5 per cent to 1,826 and 176 respectively. The biggest increase of 41% was reported by Grampian Police who received 582 complaint cases, followed by Central and Fife where complaint cases were up by one third to 407 and 264 respectively.
In 2008/09 the police in Scotland disposed of 6,690 complaint allegations, almost half as many again as in the previous year (4,484). As well as the volume of complaints received and concluded, the report records the type and outcome of all complaints received by the police.
The most common complaint allegations relate to 'irregular procedure' (21%), 'assault' (18%) and 'incivility' (15%). The 'irregular procedure' classification is used where the police have not carried out their duty well, for example where a police officer has taken a less than detailed statement or has not followed up on a particular line of enquiry.
The categories showing the greatest percentage increases in complaints disposed of are traffic irregularity up 157% [see Notes to Editors 4], irregular procedures up 89% and excessive force up 75%.
Complaint cases alleging criminal behaviour by on duty police officers referred to the Area Procurator Fiscal also rose during the year from 839 to 1,025. However, in just seven cases were proceedings taken by COPFS against the officers involved.
Commenting on the statistics Police Complaints Commissioner for Scotland, John McNeill, said:
Complaints about the police are part of policing. The information contained in the report I am publishing today will help to inform the public debate on Scotland's police and the police themselves can also use it to learn lessons to improve the way they work.
"The collection and analysis of complaints is fundamental to the culture of continuous improvement that I want to encourage in Scotland's police. I would argue that any increase in complaints arises in part from the public having more confidence in the police and expecting higher standards from them. When they feel let down, they are making use of the formal complaints systems that exist to register that dissatisfaction."