Complaint Handling Reviews

The Complaints

The complaints in this case arose from police attendance at incidents reported as part of a neighbour dispute.  Officers from the local community policing team have attended to various reports made by the parties. The local authority anti-social behaviour team has also been involved. 

The incidents which led the applicant to complain about the police took place between January 2022 and October 2023.  

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

1. An officer sniggered when the applicant informed him that a neighbour had called him and his son an offensive name.
2. The officer dismissed the applicant’s report that his neighbour had ordered an enforcer by saying the enforcer was “washed up”.
3. The officer was unprofessional and showed no impartiality by discussing the applicant’s business with neighbours.
4. The officer dismissed the applicant’s report that a neighbour had hit his car when he had CCTV evidence.
5. The officer called the applicant, saying he had heard he was waiting on an apology from Police Scotland, but the applicant had never discussed this with anyone.

Police Scotland's Decision

Police Scotland did not uphold the applicant’s complaints.

Our Findings

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

Consequently, we have made two recommendations to address the shortcomings in Police Scotland’s handling of the complaints. In summary, we have recommended that Police Scotland conduct further enquiry and provide the applicant with a fresh response to complaints 3 and 5.

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

Outcome

Police Scotland implemented 2 recommendations in this case. In doing so, Police Scotland conducted further enquiries and thereafter provided the applicant with a further response which was well reasoned and with a clear rationale for both complaints remaining not upheld.

Police Bodies: Police Scotland