Complaint Handling Reviews

The complaints

The complaints in this case arose after following the applicant’s involvement with Police Scotland across a number of different occasions. We have reviewed the handling of seven complaints, namely that:

1. In a letter dated 12 July 2019, an officer falsely accused the applicant of assault;
2. On 8 November 2019, the applicant was wrongfully arrested and subject to false imprisonment;
3. The applicant was subject to an inappropriate threat to remove and/or prevent the renewal of his firearms certificate;
4. On the morning of 25 April 2020, officers used excessive and undue force when investigating an allegation of breach of COVID-19 regulations made against him;
5. On the evening of 25 April 2020, an officer called the applicant’s ex-wife late at night regarding his report of a possible breach of COVID-19 regulations, despite him providing his own address and telephone number when making the initial report;
6. On 27 May 2020, in a telephone interview concerning the renewal of the applicant’s firearms certificate, an officer implied that the renewal was conditional on the applicant abandoning any active disputes that he had with the police; and,
7. During the applicant’s communications with Police Scotland, they did not respect his request to communicate via email, as to allow him to maintain his own records. 

Police Scotland’s decision

Police Scotland upheld complaint 5, but did not uphold the applicant’s other complaints.

Our findings

We have found that Police Scotland handled complaints 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 to a reasonable standard, but not so complaint 7.

However, no further action is required in this connection.

Police Bodies : Police Scotland