Complaint Handling Reviews

The Complaints

The complaints in this case arose after various interactions the applicant had with the police. The applicant previously knew a police officer from school and had concerns that this officer may have accessed information about her. We have reviewed the handling of four complaints, namely that: 

1. a police officer accessed the applicant’s records;
2. the same police officer acted maliciously towards the applicant for twenty years;
3. the same police officer intimidated the applicant in a supermarket;
4. the applicant is dissatisfied with how a Child Protection Case Conference was handled.

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 and 3 to a reasonable standard but not so complaint 4. 

Consequently, we have made two recommendations and identified a learning point to address the shortcomings in Police Scotland’s handling of the complaints. In summary, we have asked Police Scotland to conduct further necessary and proportionate enquiries into complaint 4, and to provide the applicant with a further response which clearly explains the rationale for the determination reached. We have made a further recommendation to address an administrative shortcoming in the manner in which Police Scotland recorded the applicant’s complaints.

We have also identified an individual learning point in relation to contact with complainers at the outset of a complaint enquiry. 

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

Outcome

Police Scotland implemented two recommendations and a learning point in this case. In doing so, Police Scotland recorded three separate complaints in line with our first recommendation. For the second recommendation, Police Scotland conducted further enquiries by obtaining additional accounts and listened to a recording provided by the applicant. Thereafter, Police Scotland provided the applicant with a well-reasoned further response. The learning point was disseminated to the enquiry officer and the Inspector involved.

Police Bodies: Police Scotland