Please note that, while we try and forward new complaints to the police force concerned within 2-6 working days, we do receive high volumes of correspondence. This can result in delays and at times of peak demand, it may be up to 3 - 4 weeks before we can process your complaint.
Since the IPCC's role at this stage of the process is to forward your complaint to the relevant police force for recording, it will save time if you send your complaint directly to the Professional Standards Department of the force concerned.
Many internet web browsers have a time-out / refresh function built in so if you take too long to fill in a form you may not be able to submit it.
To print a copy of your completed form, you will need to adjust your computer settings to allow pop ups or allow temporary access to pop ups. This will enable you to print the whole form rather than just the page you are on.
To find out which Police Force your complaint is about please visit the Direct.gov website.
Click here to open the general enquiry form.
Use this form to:
contact the IPCC about its work
request general information about making a complaint
tell us your views on the IPCC's service
Click here to open the make a complaint against the police online form.
Or download a complaint form to print, fill in and return.
Find out all about making a complaint on the complaints page.
Click here to open the appealing against a complaint not being recorded form
You may be able to appeal to the IPCC if you have tried to make a complaint about the conduct of a person serving with the police, but the police force or police authority has not recorded your complaint.
Alternatively:
download an appeal form
request a hard copy appeal form
Click here to open the appealing against the local resolution process form
You may be able to appeal to the IPCC if you have engaged in Local Resolution - an informal process between a complainant and the police to resolve a complaint.
You can use this if:
the police did not properly explain to you that you must agree for your complaint to be dealt with by Local Resolution
you did not agree to Local Resolution
you think that the police did not follow the process they agreed with you for the Local Resolution of your complaint
Click here to open the appealing against the police investigation into your complaint form
You may be able to appeal to the IPCC if your complaint has been recorded and investigated by the Professional Standards Department and you are unhappy with the outcome.
Use this form if:
you have not received enough information about the findings of the investigation or what action the police plan to take
you disagree with the findings of the investigation
you disagree with the action the police plan to take as a result of the investigation
(after 1 December 2008) you disagree with a decision the police have made about an officer’s case to answer
(after 1 December 2008) you disagree with a decision the police have made not to refer your complaint to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)
request a ·hard copy appeal form
Use this online form to request copies of leaflets and reports.
If any of the forms are not available or you are having issues completing the online forms please contact us by email.
Please contact IPCC enquiries with any comments about the information included in the forms (including accessibility issues):
call 0300 020 0096
use the general enquiry form found above
or email us
This facility is not monitored on a 24 hour, 7 days a week basis.
Information received will be read and responded to between 9.00am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).
The internet is available to everyone. However, there is no common management and control and information on the internet is therefore not secure. As almost all emails pass over the internet, there is a possibility that an email you send could be seen by other people before it reaches the IPCC.
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