Being subject to inappropriate treatment or abuse by a police officer can be deeply upsetting and give rise to a huge sense of injustice.

If you think that a police officer should face disciplinary action, the best way to instigate this is to make a complaint. This is a different process from making a court claim for compensation, though you can pursue both.

Who can make a complaint?

You may decide to make a complaint against the police if you have been treated unfairly. For example, if you’ve been subject to an unlawful arrest, assaulted, or discriminated against, or if your report of a crime wasn’t taken seriously.

You can make a complaint against a serving officer if their conduct has had a negative impact on you (even if it was directed at someone else), or it was something you witnessed them doing. You can also make a complaint about general policing issues that have affected you, such as force-wide initiatives or policing standards.

How we can help

Our specialist Actions Against the Police team has extensive experience of bringing successful complaints against the police. We can guide you through the process, including providing advice on:

• ensuring that the right kind of investigation is carried out;
• whether the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) should be involved;
• whether the complaint should be investigated as ‘misconduct’ or ‘gross misconduct’;
• whether the officer should be referred to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for criminal offences;
• possible outcomes of your complaint; and
• seeking an appeal or review of a complaint outcome.

You may not need legal support to make a police complaint, but the process can be complex. We recommend getting early advice to ensure the best chance of securing the outcome you want, particularly where the treatment complained about is serious.

Officers can only receive the most severe sanctions - written warnings, a reduction in rank, or dismissal from the force - if they are specifically investigated for misconduct or gross misconduct.

Depending on what happened to you and what you want to achieve, alongside making a complaint, we can also advise on the benefits of taking legal action, such as a claim for a wrongful arrest or prosecution, or if you have been discriminated against or otherwise let down by the police.

Funding your claim

Legal aid funding is available for complaints against the police, subject to eligibility. If you are on a low income or receive a means-tested benefit, you may qualify for legal aid to cover these costs. If not, we may be able to offer other flexible funding options.

Get expert advice

If you are looking to make a police complaint, we’re here to help. Please complete our new enquiries form, and one of our specialist solicitors will review your case. We aim to respond within two working days.