Complaint Handling Reviews

The Complaints

The complaints in this case arose from Police Scotland’s response to an ongoing neighbour dispute. 

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

1. On 15 May 2019, Police Scotland failed to investigate or update the applicant regarding an incident which she reported online concerning the conduct of her neighbour;
2. On 3 July 2019, Police Scotland failed to investigate an incident which the applicant reported as a hate crime, and the applicant did not receive support from an unnamed organisation despite officers advising her that she would be “put forward for disability support”;
3. On 1 August 2019, Police Scotland failed to take into account that an incident which the applicant reported, whilst minor in nature, was indicative of a continuation of harassment by her neighbours;
4. On 2 August 2019, Police Scotland failed to update the applicant after she reported an incident, and the Resolution Team failed to support the applicant, despite assurances from Police Scotland that they would;
5. On 1 November 2019, Police Scotland failed to investigate an incident reported by the applicant which they deemed to be trivial;
6. On 1 November 2019, Police Scotland failed to respond to a further incident reported by the applicant and cancelled numerous pre-arranged appointments which caused the applicant unnecessary distress;
7. On 19 December 2019, a police officer accused the applicant of “making it up” and said “it is in your head” in relation to reports made by the applicant regarding the conduct of her neighbours;
8. On 21 January 2020, Police Scotland failed to respond to the applicant’s report that her neighbours had failed to comply with the terms of the ‘Resolution Agreement’;
9. On 24 January 2020, Police Scotland failed to respond to or investigate the applicant’s report of racial hate and verbal abuse;
10. On 29 January 2020, Police Scotland failed to respond to the applicant’s report that she was verbally abused by a workman;
11. On 12 February 2020, a police officer failed to provide an appropriate response and took no action to an incident reported by the applicant;
12. On 19 February 2020, Police Scotland failed to investigate an incident reported by the applicant, or provide an appropriate response, with one officer stating that the incident was “not disability hate”;
13. On 19 February 2020, a Service Advisor was uncivil, unfriendly, unhelpful, arrogant, rude and argued with the applicant when she called to report an incident;
14. On 2 May 2020, Police Scotland failed to investigate an incident as a hate crime and did not update the applicant regarding the outcome;
15. On 5 and 16 May 2020, two police officers attended at the applicant’s home unannounced and were uncivil towards her;
16. On 30 May 2020, Police Scotland failed to investigate incidents which were reported by the applicant’s husband;
17. On 2 and 31 May 2020, Police Scotland failed to investigate or update the applicant regarding incidents reported;
18. On 10 June 2020, an officer failed to take the applicant’s concerns that her neighbour’s security cameras were recording audio from the applicant’s property, seriously, and responded “it is what they do with it that matters”;
19. On 10 June 2020, the same officer failed to update the applicant, despite saying that he would speak to the applicant’s neighbour to ascertain why they were utilising audio recording facilities; and
20. On 9 September 2020, a Police Scotland Operations Manager called the applicant unannounced and was dismissive, rude and argumentative.

Police Scotland’s Decision

Police Scotland upheld complaints 1, 12 and 14, but did not uphold the remainder of the applicant’s complaints.

Our Findings

We have found that Police Scotland handled complaints 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 16 and 20 to a reasonable standard, but not so complaints 4, 7, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18 or 19. 

Consequently, we have made a number of recommendations to address the shortcomings in Police Scotland’s handling of the complaints. In summary, we have recommended that Police Scotland re-assess a number of the applicant’s complaints, conduct further enquiries and provide a further response to the applicant which takes account of the observations made in our report. 

Our recommendations should be implemented by Police Scotland within two months of the date of this report.

Outcome

Police Scotland implemented all recommendations made in this case. In doing so, they re-assessed the complaints and provided the applicant with a further response which resulted in the seven complaints now being upheld.

Police Bodies : Police Scotland