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WE ARE CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES WITH SOME DOCUMENTS ON OUR WEBSITE. WE APOLOGISE FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE.

Police Complaint Reviews

If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of your complaint about the police, and your complaint has been handled under legislation concerning police complaints and police misconduct (the Police Reform Act 2002, Schedule 3), you may request a review.

A review of your complaint is not merely a quality check of what has happened, it offers the opportunity to consider whether the complaint outcome is reasonable and proportionate, and if not, to put things right.

The types of things a review process will consider include:

  • Whether any findings, determinations or the outcome to the complaint were reasonable and proportionate to the circumstances of the complaint.
  • Whether any actions proposed were reasonable and proportionate
  • Whether the process and method used to handle your complaint was reasonable and proportionate
  • Whether you were provided with sufficient information during the process, and about the outcome of your complaint.

The appropriate organisation to undertake a review of your complaint will be specified in your complaint outcome letter.

If your complaint has been referred to the Independent Office for Police conduct, or is about the conduct of a senior police officer (including the Chief Constable), or the conduct complained about would justify criminal or disciplinary proceedings, the Independent Office for Police Conduct will undertake the review. If your complaint relates to any other police officer or service provided by the police, we will undertake the review.

There is no right to apply for a review of the outcome of your complaint, if it has been investigated by, or an investigation has been overseen by, the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

There are timescales within which a review must be received, the detail of which will be included in your outcome letter. If your request is out of time, it may still be considered in special circumstances.

If your request for a review is not valid, we will write to you and inform you and provide the reasons why it is invalid. If you would prefer us to communicate this to you by other means, as well as in writing, we will do our best to accommodate your needs.

For complaint reviews where we are the appropriate authority, you can request a review by:

  • Completing and returning the police complaint review form (by email or post)
  • Completing the feedback form at the bottom of this page
  • Writing to the Complaints Review Officer, Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Andy Hocking House, Alderson Drive, Exeter, EX2 7RP
  • Emailing opcc@dc-pcc.gov.uk
  • Phoning 01392 225555

Further information about the police complaint review process and customer service standards can be found here