Complaint Handling Reviews

The Complaints

The complaints in this case arose after the applicant made a number of reports to the police about issues involving his neighbours. We have reviewed the handling of 10 complaints, namely that:

1. a police officer refused to note statements from the applicant regarding several incidents in 2021;
2. a police officer failed to note a statement from a witness;
3. police officers failed to reply to the applicant’s emails;
4. a police officer did not update the applicant adequately with his enquiries;
5. Police Scotland failed to investigate an allegation of a breach of the peace;
6. Police Scotland failed to carry out sufficient enquiry into a report that led to the applicant being charged;
7. on 2 August 2021 a police sergeant failed to carry out sufficient enquiry as he did not view CCTV;
8. a police sergeant failed to carry out sufficient enquiry into an incident reported to police on 14 August 2021;
9. on 2 August 2021 a police sergeant was uncivil in an email stating “this is ridiculous”; and
10. Police Scotland only charged the applicant regarding an offence because they had charged his neighbour with an offence. 
     

Police Scotland’s Decision

Police Scotland did not uphold complaints 1 – 8 or complaint 10 but upheld complaint 9.

Our Findings

We have found that Police Scotland handled complaints 1 to 5, 7, 8 and 10 to a reasonable standard but not so complaints 6 and 9 Consequently, we have made recommendations to address the shortcomings in Police Scotland’s handling of complaints 6 and 8. In summary, we have recommended Police Scotland provide the applicant a further response that addresses the crux of complaint 6 and that considers all the available information relating to complaint 9. We have also made recommendations to address some administrative shortcomings in complaints 3, 7 and 8. Our recommendations should be completed by Police Scotland within two months of the date of this report.

Police Bodies : Police Scotland