Complaint Handling Reviews

The Complaints

The complaints in this case arose after the applicant reported historical offences to Police Scotland in 2011. She submitted a complaint about the police in January 2021.

We have reviewed the handling of four complaints, namely that:

1. on 6 February 2011, an officer failed to note the applicant’s statement accurately;

2. the applicant signed her statement without reading it due to being exhausted as she was not given a break over the four hour process;

3. an officer assured the applicant she would be given another opportunity to go over her statement but this was never done; and

4. Police Scotland failed to carry out enquiries with a witness’ relative.

Police Scotland’s Decision

Police Scotland did not uphold the applicant’s complaints.

Our Findings

We have found that Police Scotland handled complaints 2 and 4 to a reasonable standard but not so complaints 1 and 3.

Consequently, we have made a recommendation to address the shortcoming in Police Scotland’s handling of the complaints. In summary, we have recommended that Police Scotland provide the applicant with a further response to her complaints.

Police Bodies : Police Scotland