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Complaints

Who Deals With Complaints About the Police?

There are a number of organisations who deal with complaints against the police, depending on the nature of the complaint. The responsibilities of police authorities, Chief Police Officers, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) and Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary (HMIC) for complaints are set out in the Police Reform Act 2002.

What is the role of the Police Authority?

Our responsibilities include:

  • Keeping informed about complaint and disciplinary matters within Surrey Police
  • Providing the IPCC with the information and documentation to carry out its functions (including inspection)
  • Refering complaints or misconduct matters to the IPCC, where the Chief Police Officer has decided not to
  • Acting as the ‘appropriate authority’ in the recording and investigation of complaints and conduct matters against senior officers (officers of ACPO rank).

What is NOT the role of the Police Authority?

  • We do not investigate complaints concerning the conduct of non-senior officers. This is the responsibility of the Chief Constable
  • Complaints about operational policing matters or decisions and general policing standards are known as ‘Direction and Control’ complaints. These are also the responsibility of the Chief Constable
  • Police authorities do not involve themselves in the detail of individual cases.

Useful Contacts

Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) – www.ipcc.gov.uk – For more information about making a complaint against the police.

 

Complaints about the conduct of Police Authority Members

From May 2008, the responsibility for considering complaints about Members’ conduct has moved from the Standards Board for England to a new, more locally-based standards framework. Under the new arrangements, a sub-committee of the Authority’s Standards Committee is responsible for managing the initial assessment of all allegations that a Member of Surrey Police Authority may have breached the Code of Conduct. You can see the Authority’s Code of Conduct here:  SPA Code of Conduct

During the period of March 2010 to April 2011 no complaints relating to the conduct of members were recorded or referred to the Standards Committee for action.

The Authority can only accept a complaint about a Member’s conduct which is made in writing or by email. However, if this is not possible due to a disability, we will accept a verbal complaint which will be transcribed by the Authority for approval by the complainant or their representative. If you believe that a Member of Surrey Police Authority has breached the Code of Conduct, you should set out details of your complaint to:

The Monitoring Officer
Surrey Police Authority
PO Box 412
Guildford
GU3 1BR

Email:spa@surrey.police.uk 

Your complaint should include:

• Your name, address and contact details
• Your status (member of the public, fellow Member, officer etc)
• Who you are complaining about
• Details of the alleged misconduct, including, where possible dates, witness details and other supporting information.