> > > Appeal against local resolution

Appealing against the local resolution process

The process of local resolution allows certain complaints to be resolved at a local level. The IPCC believes that local resolution can be the simplest and most flexible way of resolving your complaint. It provides the opportunity to explain your concerns to the police and receive an adequate response.

However if your complaint is not suitable for local resolution or you do not agree to have your complaint dealt with by the local resolution process the police will appoint an officer to carry out a police investigation.

The police will explain the procedures involved when dealing with a complaint through the local resolution process and also tell you about your right to appeal.

A process to resolve your complaint will be agreed between you and the police.

This process might include;

A face-to-face meeting with the police manager who is working on your complaint to discuss what happened
A face-to-face meeting with the person you have made the complaint about to talk things through
A phone call from the police to explain to you what has been done about your complaint
A letter from the police to explain to you what has been done about your complaint.

You should also be informed what is likely to happen as a result of your complaint. This could include:

An explanation or information to clear up a misunderstanding
An apology on behalf of the police force (but the officer or police staff does not have to apologise)
Accepting that something could have been handled better and telling you what has been done to stop it happening to someone else
Action by the appropriate manager to change the way a police officer or member of staff behaves

At the end of the local resolution, the police should write to tell you the outcome. They should also tell you how to get a written copy of the records they have made about locally resolving your complaint.

You can appeal against the local resolution process if:

The police did not properly explain to you that you must agree for your complaint to be dealt with by local resolution;or 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

You cannot appeal against the outcome of the local resolution process – this means you cannot appeal because you disagree with the findings.

Please note the IPCC MUST receive your appeal within 28 days of the date of the letter you have received from the police telling you that your complaint has not been recorded. This includes the time your appeal spends in the post.

If you do not send your appeal to the IPCC within 28 days, the IPCC does not have to consider your appeal. The IPCC may be able to extend this time period if you have very special circumstances and you can fully explain your reasons for asking for an extension, or if the police failed to tell you what they are going to do about your complaint.

Get help opening pdfs with Adobe Acrobat Online Tools

Appealing against the local resolution process

You can appeal against the local resolution process if:

Related Topics