The Justice Sub-Committee on Policing is keen to receive your views on how complaints against the police are handled under current arrangements in Scotland. We will use the evidence we receive to inform an evidence session on police complaints handling with Police Scotland, the Scottish Police Authority and the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner in January 2016.
The Sub-Committee is particularly interested in receiving your views on the following issues:
- how the processes and procedures put in place for handling complaints by Police Scotland, the SPA and the PIRC are working in practice
- whether the arrangements in place are clear and accessible for members of the public, police officers and staff
- whether complaints are being dealt with fairly and promptly
- where possible improvements might be made
- whether Police Scotland, the SPA and the PIRC have adequate powers under the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 to properly investigate and take action on complaints
The Sub-Committee is unable to investigate or become involved in individual cases and so submissions should not refer to specific complaints or name individuals (or indeed include content from which a person could be identified).
Background
Police Scotland, the Scottish Police Authority and the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner each have a role in investigating complaints against and relating to the police
Police Scotland is responsible for investigating complaints against police officers of superintendent rank or below special constables and police staff within Police Scotland. It also investigates complaints about Police Scotland policies and procedures.
The Scottish Police Authority is responsible for investigating complaints against senior police officers of Assistant Chief Constable rank or above and SPA Board and staff members. It also investigates complaints about its own policies and procedures
The Police Investigations and Review Commissioner undertakes investigations into the most serious incidents involving the police (including allegations of a criminal nature as directed by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service), undertakes complaints handling reviews of the way the police have handled complaints from the public, and provides independent scrutiny of the arrangements that police bodies have in place to respond to complaints from the public.
Your views
The Sub-Committee welcomes evidence from all interested parties and members of the public with an interest in matters relating to police complaints. Your views will be circulated to members of the Sub-Committee and will help shape a future evidence session with Police Scotland, the SPA and the PIRC on complaints handling in January 2016.
Before drafting your submission, please read our policy on treatment of written evidence by subject and mandatory committees.
The call for written views closes at 5pm on Friday 8 January 2016. Submissions should be sent electronically in MS Word format to: [email protected]
Contact
Any queries about written submissions should be addressed in the first instance to the Sub-Committee clerking team at the above email address or on (0131) 348 5220.