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.

Outcome

Police Scotland implemented all recommendations made in this case. Police Scotland provided the applicant with a further response to two complaints, one of which was not upheld as a result of our review. Police Scotland also implemented an administrative recommendation, now recording two separate allegations as a single complaint.

Police Bodies : Police Scotland