Local Resolution of Complaints

Since April 2004 minor, low level complaints can be handled through a process of ‘Local Resolution’ which seeks to provide the complainant with a speedy and satisfactory response. The IPCC and  the Police Foundation have funded the Institute for Criminal Policy Research at Kings College, London to examine how Local Resolution is now working and the ways in which forces are delivering this form of complaint response.

This is the final phase of a three-phase study of the operation of local resolution (LR) of police complaints. The first part of the study examined how the process of informal resolution operated prior to the establishment of the IPCC. The findings from this phase have been published in the following report: Warburton, H. May, T. and Hough, M. (2003): Opposite side of the same coin: Police perspectives on informally resolved complaints.

The final phase focused on the development of local resolution procedures. The research involved:

• a 42-force survey which examines changes since the inception of LR, including differences between forces; and
• qualitative work conducted in force case study sites, interviewing officers and complainants about their experience of having a complaint resolved by LR. This involves some innovative work using complainant and officer expectation forms to see how this might affect satisfaction with the process.

The study found that both officers and complainants lacked knowledge and understanding of the local resolution process. Complainants were initially satisfied with their investigating officer, but some were dissatisfied with the process as a whole and with the final outcome of their complaint. Officers were satisfied with investigating officers’ initial handling of the complaint, but tended to believe that the process was unfair and biased in favour of complainants. Overall, the research found that local resolution is a good vehicle for dealing with complaints but more consideration needs to be given to its implementation by forces, with special attention to supervisors managing it. The research highlights a number of issues which Professional Standards Departments may wish to consider, these include:

• The need to ensure that complainants give their informed consent to the LR. Some complainants said that LR was presented to them as their only option and were unaware that their complaint could be resolved in any other way.
• Those presenting LR to a complainant need to avoid overselling as this may generate unrealistic expectations.
• Written communication to complainants regarding progress and the resolution itself need to be of an appropriate standard. For example, some letters finalising the complaint were vague and uninformative about what had occurred and how they had resolved the matter.
• Officers subject to a complaint need to be aware of what LR means for them and be informed about the conclusion of the process.

Some forces have sought to overcome some of the issues listed above by having checklists for complainants and officers to ensure that they understand what they can expect from the LR process. Police forces are responsible for how well LR is implemented by their officers. However in order to support forces the IPCC has already undertaken work in this area to address the main findings from the research and will be conducting further work in 2007/08 to take forward the recommendations. The research will help shape future IPCC communication strategies and literature, and specifically work will be undertaken to address the issues raised by the research in relation to officer and complainant expectations and understanding of LR.  

The research findings can be found in more detail in the two reports (and their respective ‘Findings’ summaries) below:

Informal to Local Resolution: Assessing Changes to the Handling of Low-Level Police Complaints

Key Findings

Local Resolution: The Views of Police Officers and Complainants

Key Findings