Complaint Handling Reviews

The Complaints

The complaints in this case arose after the applicant reported perceived criminal acts committed by an off duty serving police officer, which he then believed were not properly investigated.

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

1. Police Scotland carried out insufficient investigation into the applicant’s allegation that an off duty police officer made abusive comments towards him on 13 or 14 November 2018;

2. Police Scotland carried out insufficient investigation into the applicant’s allegation that an off duty police officer altered the applicant’s mother’s will;

3. Police Scotland carried out insufficient investigation into the applicant’s allegation that an off duty police officer verbally threatened him on 21 October 2019;

4. Police Scotland carried out insufficient investigation into the applicant’s allegation that an off duty police officer sold the applicant’s deceased mother’s belongings on a social media platform;

5. Police Scotland carried out insufficient investigations into the applicants allegation that an off duty police officer made an offensive hand gesture at him on the 13th November 2019; and

6. Police Scotland did not provide a letter detailing the findings of their investigation into the matters he reported.

Police Scotland’s Decision

Police Scotland did not uphold any of the applicant’s complaints.

Our Findings

We have found that Police Scotland handled complaints 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 to a reasonable standard but not so complaint 4.

Consequently, we have made a recommendation to address the shortcomings in Police Scotland’s handling of complaint 4. In summary, we have recommended that Police Scotland provide a further response to the applicant in relation to complaint 4. Our recommendation should be completed by Police Scotland within two months of the date of this report.

Outcome

Police Scotland implemented both recommendations made in the CHR. In doing so, they provided the applicant with a further response to complaint 4, explaining further why the allegation was a civil matter and didn’t amount to a crime.

The complaint remained not upheld. Police Scotland also recorded complaint 4 as a separate complaint.

Police Bodies : Police Scotland