Seven CHRs published by the Review team this week

In three of the Complaint Handling Reviews (CHRs), we concluded the complaints were reasonably handled by police.

A series of recommendations and learning points were issued to Police Scotland in relation to the other four CHRs.

In PIRC/00514/20, the five complaints in this case arose after the applicant was arrested and held in police custody. We found that Police Scotland handled two of the complaints to a reasonable standard. Among the three complaints not handled properly, they included one that on 25 June 2019, at a police station, a sergeant threatened to assault the applicant.

Consequently, we have made three recommendations to address the shortcomings, that Police Scotland carry out further enquiry in relation to complaints 1, 3 and 4, and provide the applicant with a further response in respect of each of the complaints.

We have also issued two learning points to ensure that future response letters include the officers names or badge numbers so that they are identifiable, and also to ensure that an officer makes enquiries at the earliest possibility to seize CCTV.

In PIRC/00486/20, five complaints were made after Constable A called the applicant to offer advice in relation to nuisance calls that the applicant was alleged to have made. We found that four of the complaints were reasonably handled.

Consequently, we made a recommendation to address the shortcomings in Police Scotland’s handling of complaint 3, that the same police constable behaved in an unprofessional manner towards the applicant.

In PIRC/00388/20, the four complaints in this case arose following the applicant being reported to the Procurator Fiscal for a breach of the peace after he took part in a protest in regards to ongoing works near his property.

We found that that three of the complaints were reasonably handled. Consequently we have made a recommendation in relation to complaint 1 – that an officer charged and reported the applicant to the Procurator Fiscal based on evidence which was untrue - to re-assess the available information and provide the applicant with a fresh response.

We have also made a further recommendation and administrative recommendation in relation to complaint 2. We have recommended that Police Scotland provide the applicant with an apology and also record complaint 2 as a separate complaint.

In PIRC/00251/20, three complaints were made following the applicant’s report to police in respect of youths entering school premises to play football.

We have found that Police Scotland handled two of the complaints to a reasonable standard. We have made two recommendations to address shortcomings by Police Scotland, to record Complaint 2 as a distinct complaint and in relation to Complaint 3 we have recommended that the police reassess the complaint and thereafter provide the applicant with a further response.

All actions issued to Police Scotland should be implemented within two months.

View the summarised reports HERE.