Police receive more than 14,000 complaints in year

Police received more than 14,000 complaints from the public about officers in the space of a year - but only 1 per cent led to proceedings. Official figures released by the Home Office show police forces in England and Wales received a total of 14,393 public complaints against officers in the year up to 31 March 2021. No action was taken against police officers in 92 per cent of these cases, while only 1 per cent were referred to proceedings.

- CHIARA GIORDANO

The annual statistics also reveal there were 3,584 conduct allegations raised against police officers and 1,196 allegations against police staff in the same period. For conduct matters against police officers, about half of allegations (49 per cent) resulted in no case to answer, and the other half (49 per cent) resulted in a case to answer. A small number of allegations (2 per cent) were discontinued where an investigation into a recordable conduct matter was suspended.

For conduct matters against police staff, in 37 per cent of the allegations there was no case to answer and in 59 per cent of allegations there was a case to answer. Four per cent of allegations were discontinued and in a small number the result was not known. A further 940 allegations were made against police officers involving recordable conduct matters - which must be referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).