Complaint Handling Reviews

The Complaints

The complaints in this case arose after the applicant contacted Police Scotland to report various instances of alleged criminality. Specifically, the applicant was dissatisfied with the way that officers spoke to him and that he had not been updated about his reports.

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

1. An officer used the word patronising several times and then told the applicant he was busy and would pass it on to “PC Plod”;
2. An officer told the applicant that he needed a doctor not the police, and suggested he was unemployed; and
3. The applicant provided a statement 18 months previously but has not been given an update.

Police Scotland's Decision

Police Scotland upheld complaint 3 but did not uphold complaints 1 and 2. 

Our Findings

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

Consequently, we have made a recommendation to address the shortcoming in Police Scotland’s handling of the complaint. 

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

Outcome

Police Scotland implemented the recommendation in this case. In doing so, Police Scotland recorded the applicant’s first complaint as three separate complaints about the police and provided us with an updated complaint handling form to reflect this amendment to their records.

Police Bodies: Police Scotland