NCJ Number
51438
Journal
Police Review Volume: 86 Issue: 4469 Dated: (SEPTEMBER 8, 1978) Pages: 1332-1339
Date Published
1978
Length
8 pages
Annotation
THE COMPLAINTS PROCESS IN ENGLAND AND WALES FOR DEALING WITH POLICE INJUSTICE AND EFFECTS OF THE PROCESS ON POLICE-PUBLIC RELATIONS ARE EXAMINED.
Abstract
DURING THE 9-YEAR PERIOD FROM 1968 TO 1976, 49 OF 1,115 COMPLAINTS MADE AGAINST POLICE IN NORTH WALES WERE SUBSTANTIATED. TWICE AS MANY PEOPLE WERE SATISFIED WITH POLICE SERVICE THAN WERE DISSATISFIED. A TOTAL NUMBER OF 17,769 COMPLAINTS WERE MADE IN 1974 AGAINST POLICE IN ENGLAND AND WALES BY 13,121 COMPLAINANTS. THERE IS AN ANTICIPATED TREND IN INCREASED COMPLAINTS AGAINST POLICE, AND ONE MAJOR ISSUE IS WHETHER POLICE OFFICERS SHOULD TAKE CIVIL ACTION AGAINST SOME COMPLAINANTS FOR LIBEL. ANOTHER ISSUE INVOLVES THE PUBLIC'S AWARENESS AND USE OF THE EXISTING COMPLAINTS PROCESS. LEGISLATION DEALING WITH POLICE AUTHORITY HAS NOT SERVED TO REDUCE POLICE INJUSTICE, ALTHOUGH IT IS NOT KNOWN HOW MUCH CORRUPTION THE LEGISLATION MAY HAVE PREVENTED. A CLEAR CONSEQUENCE OF THE COMPLAINTS PROCESS IS THAT IT HAS LENT AN AIR OF LEGITIMIZATION AND RESPECTABILITY TO THE MAKING OF FALSE AND TRIVIAL COMPLAINTS AGAINST POLICE. THERE IS NO DISTINCTION MADE BETWEEN ON DUTY AND OFF DUTY POLICE OFFICERS IN THE 1964 POLICE ACT AND THE 1976 POLICE ACT WITH REGARD TO NONCRIMINAL COMPLAINTS AGAINST THEM. THIS IS UNFAIR TO POLICE AN DOES NOT ENHANCE POLICE-PUBLIC RELATIONS. THE PUBLIC IS WELL SERVED BY POLICE FORCES IN ENGLAND AND WALES, AND THE COMPLAINTS PROCESS IS VIEWED AS COSTLY BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF POLICE TIME INVOLVED. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A COMPLAINTS BOARD HAS ADDED TO THE COST BURDEN. POLICE-PUBLIC RELATIONS ARE NOT IMPROVED BY THE COMPLAINTS PROCESS, AND IT IS EVIDENT THAT THE PROCESS HAS CONTRIBUTED TO POLICE ALIENATION AND LOW MORALE. SUPPORTING DATA ON COMPLAINTS ARE TABULATED. (DEP)