Receiving notification that a complaint has been made against you is one of the most unsettling experiences in a police officer's career, even when the allegation is clearly without foundation. Understanding the process, knowing your rights, and taking the right steps from the outset will help you navigate it effectively.
What Happens When a Complaint Is Made
A complaint against a police officer can be made to the force directly, online through the IOPC's complaint portal, or through a solicitor. Once a complaint is received, the force's Professional Standards Department (PSD) registers it and makes an initial assessment of its severity and whether it requires formal investigation or can be handled through a local resolution process.
Local resolution is available for complaints about minor matters where the complainant agrees to the process and there is no allegation of conduct that could amount to gross misconduct. In a local resolution, a supervisor contacts the complainant, discusses their concerns, and records the outcome. No formal investigation is required, and no finding of misconduct is made. If local resolution is agreed, it is typically the fastest and least intrusive outcome for the officer.
When Formal Investigation Begins
For more serious matters — allegations involving excessive force, dishonesty, discrimination, or conduct that could be criminal — a formal investigation will be initiated. You will receive a Regulation 15 notice formally notifying you that you are under investigation. This notice must specify the nature of the allegations and the Standards of Professional Behaviour alleged to be engaged.
Do not ignore this notice or delay responding to it. The moment you receive or become aware of a Regulation 15 notice, contact your Police Federation representative. The Federation is entitled to see the allegations and to advise you before you take any steps in the investigation.
Your Immediate Priorities
Before you do anything else: do not speak to colleagues who may be witnesses about the substance of the allegation. This is not just good advice — it can become a separate conduct issue if it is interpreted as an attempt to coordinate accounts. Write down your own recollection of the events in question as soon as possible, from memory, while it is fresh. This personal note is for your own use — it is not a formal statement and you do not need to disclose it unless instructed to do so by your Federation rep or solicitor.
Check your body-worn video. If you wore BWV during the incident in question, you have the right to view the footage before making any formal statement. This is not an optional extra — it is a fundamental right under the conduct regulations. Your Federation rep can assist you in requesting access.
The Federation's Role
The Police Federation funds and provides legal representation for conduct matters. Your Federation rep will explain the process, accompany you to any interviews, advise on the strength of the allegations, and instruct an external solicitor if the matter is serious enough to warrant it. Use this resource actively. Federation reps have seen hundreds of conduct matters and know the procedural pitfalls better than most officers. If your rep suggests instructing an external solicitor, take that advice.
The Investigative Interview
If the investigating officer requires you to provide an account, you may be interviewed either as a witness (providing a written or oral statement) or under caution as a suspect. The distinction matters enormously. If you are interviewed under caution, you have the right to silence, the right to legal advice before the interview, and the right to have your representative present. Do not waive these rights. Under caution interviews are formal proceedings and anything you say can be used in disciplinary proceedings.
Timescales and Updates
Conduct investigations are notoriously slow. Forces are required to make reasonable progress and to update you at regular intervals, but "regular" in this context can mean months between updates. If you are not receiving updates and the investigation appears to have stalled, your Federation rep can formally request a progress update from PSD. Prolonged uncertainty is genuinely damaging to health, and you are entitled to push for reasonable timescales.
If the Complaint Is Resolved in Your Favour
The majority of complaints against officers are not substantiated. If the investigation concludes with no case to answer or with the complaint withdrawn, ensure you obtain written confirmation of the outcome and retain it. Ask PSD to confirm the retention period for records relating to the matter — regulations govern how long complaint records are held.
Looking After Your Mental Health
The period of a conduct investigation is stressful regardless of the merits of the allegation. Use your Employee Assistance Programme, speak to your GP if symptoms are significant, and lean on your Federation welfare support. You are not required to be stoic about this. Officers who manage their mental health actively during investigations emerge from the process in significantly better shape than those who don't.