Complaint Handling Reviews

The Complaints

The complaints in this case arose as a result of the applicant’s contact with Police Scotland in relation to an ongoing neighbour dispute. We have reviewed the handling of twenty-two complaints, namely that:

1. Officers failed to carry out door-to-door enquiries following the applicant’s report to the police on 23 September 2021 of vandalism to her home and her partner’s vehicle;
2. An officer did not contact the applicant following her report to the police on 24 September 2021 that CCTV footage had allowed her to positively identify a perpetrator of vandalism to her property;
3. An officer incorrectly stated that he had returned the applicant’s call and left her a voicemail;
4. Officers observed threatening social media posts about the applicant’s partner over a period of days but failed to properly investigate them;
5. A sergeant failed to properly investigate the applicant’s report about abusive social media posts;
6. A sergeant told the applicant to ignore threats made against her and her family;
7. Officers failed to properly investigate a report of vandalism at an address linked to the applicant’s family, made to the police on 22 October 2021;
8. Police Scotland failed to properly investigate a report of an individual acting in a threatening manner;
9. An inspector was unwilling to discuss the incidents the applicant was reporting;
10. On 14 December 2021, officers failed to properly investigate vandalism, and social media posts related to this vandalism, at an address linked to the applicant’s family;
11. Police Scotland failed to seize CCTV footage of a male acting in a threatening and abusive manner;
12. Officers did not call the applicant back as promised after speaking with their sergeant;
13. Officers failed to collect two statements and CCTV footage in relation to the applicant’s daughter’s vehicle being vandalised;
14. On 31 December 2021, officers failed to properly investigate a report of vandalism to a house and vehicle linked to the applicant’s family;
15. Officers failed to seize CCTV footage while investigating a report of vandalism to the windows of a house linked to the applicant’s family;
16. The applicant was told by Police Scotland that additional officers would be used to assist with arrests, but this did not happen;
17. Police Scotland failed to arrest two suspects after a vehicle linked to the applicant’s family was set on fire;
18. Officers failed to take action on the applicant’s report that an individual had breached bail conditions;
19. An officer failed to call the applicant back to follow up on information she had passed to his colleague;
20. A call was made to 101 in order to speak with a particular officer and the officer did not call back;
21. Officers failed to call the applicant back regarding her report that an individual had breached bail conditions; and
22. An officer failed to properly investigate information provided to him regarding admissions made by a suspect. 

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 1-18, 20 and 22 to a reasonable standard but not so complaints 19 and 21. However, we have not made recommendations in relation to complaint 19 or 21.

Police Bodies : Police Scotland