We provide an independent, impartial police
complaints system for the people and police
under the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 1998
and 2000. You do not have to pay to complain
to us.
We deal with complaints from
people about how police officers do their jobs. Although
the word 'police' is in our title, it is there simply
to identify the people we investigate. We are entirely
independent of the police.
We will investigate complaints about how
the police behave when they are doing their job. Complaints
may involve allegations of criminal behaviour by a police
officer, or allegations that a police officer broke the
police code of conduct.
When we receive your complaint, we will
consider it and decide how to deal with it.
Even if you have not made a complaint,
we can investigate a matter if we have reason to think
that a police officer may have committed a criminal offence
or broken the police code of conduct. We can also investigate
a matter if the Secretary of State, the Chief Constable
or the Policing Board asks us to.
We also monitor complaints against the
police and check whether the complaints follow any trends
or patterns.
Investigate an officer's conduct that
has already led to criminal or disciplinary action, unless
there is new evidence that was not available at the time
of the original investigation.
Investigate complaints that are 'out of
time' (see step 2 on page 'how to complain).
Investigate complaints about an off-duty
officer, unless the fact that he or she is a police officer
is relevant to the complaint.
Investigate complaints about traffic wardens
or other civilian employees of the police.
New Cathedral Buildings
St Anne's Square,
11 Church Street, Belfast
BT1 1PG
T: 084 5601 2931
T: 028 9082 8600
F: 028 9082 8659
