Many who have had the misfortune to bring a police complaint will be all too familiar with the apparent common practice that the complaint handler takes a biased approach to their police colleague.
Police are Crown servants, and that makes them public servants, i.e. they are paid by the public, to protect the Crown and the public. So, when a complaint is brought by a member of the public, it should be a public body that investigates the police, not the police themselves.
However, it is what it is, the police complaints process is set out in the (often abused) Police (Complaints and Misconduct) Regulations 2020.
The fact remains that, when police are tasked to investigate themselves, they must be impartial and as per any police investigation, it must be conducted reasonably and proportionately.
Detective Inspector Richard Stott of Cambridgeshire police.
DI Stott was assigned as the complaint handler for a complaint I brought against DC Patrick, DI Stott was expected to be impartial and was expected to conduct a reasonable and proportionate investigation. What DI Stott did was ‘skim over‘ the complaint, find DC Patrick did nothing wrong, and then close the complaint.
DI Stott would know, or ought to know, that he has a legal obligation to do his job are expected (and paid by the public) and he must investigate complaints correctly, yet he intentionally failed this simple task.
If any police officer intentionally fails to do their job correctly, they should face disciplinary proceedings and if necessary, be dismissed.
Due to glaring failures with how DI Stott investigated my complaint, I have brought a complaint against him, a complaint which I will pursue as misconduct in public office and I hope this sets a precedent for all police officers who intentionally abuse their public paid positions. We will pursue complaints against you to the High Court if necessary.
As someone who worked in the Police, I know this is a common tactic used by Police organisations to deter people from making complaints. I raised an issue about a serving racist and misogynistic officer after I was forced to leave the force (due to the conduct of the same officer) The Police organisation decided to orchestrate a smear campaign against me. Meanwhile the organisation was placed in special measures. I have raised the complaint with IOPCC the ICO and the force itself. It came as no surprise that the complaint was swept under the proverbial carpet.
Police organisations operate like a crime syndicate, protect your own and destroy anyone attempting to scrutinise the organisation, or raising issues against its people. Of course, you no longer need to incarcerate anyone or execute them, you can threaten them with smear campaigns. Human rights are taught at the Police college with a sort of reverence. Human rights are routinely abused by the Police and the organisation, which is then protected from all scrutiny; unless you’re wealthy and influential.
We often point the long finger of righteousness at dictators and the conduct of foreign powers, and then turn a convenient blind eye when public institutions overstep the mark in the UK. I wonder sometimes whether everyone in positions of power harps on about fundamental rights and values because they just want to feel better about what goes on right under their malignant noses.
It came as no surprise to me that the now former chief of the IOPCC is now being investigated for something that occurred twenty years ago. He ruffled a few feathers by raising issues about Police misconduct, corruption, and racism. It is a stark warning for whoever comes next: criticise any police organisation and you will pay a heavy price. Putin, and the CCP in China operate along the same line. Of course, you can make people ‘disappear’ in those countries. Here in the UK state organisations make anyone raising a legitimate concern ‘invisible’ by making baseless claims and then watching them suffer with glee. So much for democratic values and freedom for all! We live in age of contradictions and stark hypocrisy. Welcome to the free world.
Brilliant. Have the same problem myself with a Ms xxxx, Cambs, as part of a major complaint at Scambs.
Well done. Thank you.
IOPC found in your favour or police favour?
My favour, read the article