In addition they investigate the more serious allegations of misconduct involving police officers and special constables. PSD provide the link between Hampshire Constabulary and the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) and ensure that any serious matters are referred to the IPCC as soon as possible.
What Can You Complain About?
You can complain about police officers of any rank or other members of police staff. You can also make a complaint if a friend or relative has been treated badly by the police. You can complain if you are distressed as a result, or you have personally seen someone that you didn’t know being treated badly by the police.
How To Make A Complaint
There are a number of ways you can make a complaint:
- Visit the front desk of any police station and advise them that you wish to make a complaint. They will make arrangements for you to be seen by the Duty Inspector.
- You can write direct to:
Professional Standards Department
Hampshire Constabulary
Police Headquarters
West Hill
Romsey Road
Winchester
Hampshire
SO22 5DB
- Email Professional Standards Department directly: professional.standards@hampshire.pnn.police.uk
- Contact your solicitor or your MP.
- Contact the IPCC at:
Independent Police Complaints Commission
90 High Holborn
London
WC1V 6BH
www.ipcc.gov.uk
Tel: 020 7166 3000
- Contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau.
What Information To Include In Your Complaint
When making your complaint you should include information such as:
- What happened
- When it happened
- Who was involved
- What was said or done
- Were there any witnesses
- Was there any damage or injury caused
This will enable your complaint to be dealt with more efficiently. Please also include your full name, date of birth and full address.
What Will Happen To Your Complaint?
Less Serious Complaints - If you would be satisfied with an explanation or an apology where appropriate the police may be able to resolve your complaint informally.
Serious Complaints - If an informal approach is not acceptable to you, or if the complaint raises certain more serious allegations, it must be fully investigated by a senior police officer. Police forces must notify the most serious complaints to the Independent Police Complaints Commission as soon as they are recorded. The Commission must, by law, supervise certain investigations and, in others, they may choose to supervise.
Supervised Cases - The Independent Police Complaints Commission approves the appointment of the investigating officers, decides how the inquiry should be carried out, reads all the statements and sees all the evidence. The final report comes to the Commission which states whether or not it is satisfied with the original investigation.
Unsupervised Cases - Where the IPCC do not supervise, the police force will appoint an officer to investigate the complaint.
What To Do If You Are Not Happy With The Outcome Of Your Complaint
If you are not happy with the result of your complaint, you may be able to appeal to the IPCC. If any of the below applies to how your complaint was handled you have the right to appeal:
- Your complaint has not been recorded by us.
- We have not made a decision whether to record your complaint.
- We have not informed you of our decision not to record your complaint.
- You believe that Local Resolution procedures have not been carried out properly or in the way you agreed.
- You disagree with the action we propose to take as a result of the investigation.
- You have not been provided with adequate information about the findings of the investigation.
- You are not satisfied with the outcome of the police investigation.
