Information for police
This section contains information for police about:
Statutory guidance
The IPCC’s revised statutory guidance, which acts as a 'Highway Code' on how the police should handle complaints, came into effect on 1 April 2010.
Visit the Statutory Guidance website
Download Statutory Guidance (1,630KB pdf)
Download Welsh Statutory Guidance (1,631KB pdf)
About the statutory guidance
This guidance sets out standards expected of police forces and the IPCC in handling complaints. This will ensure that people's complaints against the police are handled efficiently and effectively.
Before 1 April 2010, the complaints system was focussed on whether an officer committed misconduct and if so how they should be dealt with. The vast majority of complaints are handled by the police service and the revised guidance encourages them to acknowledge poor service, apologise and put things right whether or not an individual officer is at fault.
The revised guidance states that complaints should be upheld when the service has fallen below an acceptable standard, and not just when misconduct against an officer can be proved.
The revised guidance also aims to cut bureaucracy and speed up how forces deal with lower level complaints. It emphasises that individual officers should still be held rigorously to account where they are alleged to have committed criminal or disciplinary offence.
Related topics
Information leaflets - Find out what leaflets the IPCC provides and request supplies to be sent to you.
Working with other agencies - Find out about how the protocols we have ensure we both understand clearly how we can co-operate and assist each other
Useful links - This section will give you links to police related websites
