Complaints Against Police in New South Wales

• NCJ Number: 139879
• Author(s): J Stubbs
• Date Published: 1992
• Length: 51 pages
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: Australia

Annotation

This project arose out of concerns within the New South Wales Police Service about the increase in complaints against the police, particularly between 1990 and 1991.

Abstract

The increase in complaints attracted considerable attention from the media throughout 1991, and a State Commander's Task Force on Police Complaints was established within the Police Service in late 1991. Complaints generally involved young or inexperienced police officers, complaints from the public due to increased exposure to police officers through community policing, internal police complaints, and complaints of specific types (e.g., domestic violence or sexual harassment). In order to compare complaints in 1990 and 1991, two random samples of 210 file numbers were drawn from records contained in the police complaints computer system for both years. Results demonstrated that the pattern of complaints for 1990 and 1991 was similar. Among a broad range of variables examined, only three distinguished complaints for the 2 years: (1) there was a growth in the proportion of complaints made by victims rather than by persons or agencies acting on their behalf; (2) in 1991, internal police complaints appeared to more likely involve conduct by officers on duty; and (3) in 1991, internal police complaints appeared to more likely be made by police officers in supervisory positions versus police officers who were the focus of complaints. Most complaint files referred to a single complainant and allegations concerning a single victim. Victims of alleged police misconduct were primarily male, tended to be motorists or someone suspected of or charged with an offense, and were typically between 20 and 39 years of age. Only a few complaints were lodged by juveniles, and only a small number of complaints were made by or on behalf of aborigines. Most complaints against the police were lodged against individual officers rather than against units. Complaints were most common for police officers assigned to general duties, traffic and highway patrol, and investigative duties. Complaints most often involved allegations of assault, traffic-related incivility, investigation-related conduct, and other forms of abuse. Appendixes provide additional information on dealing with police complaints and a coding sheet to process such complaints. 54 notes and 28 tables