Complaints against police officers

Request complaint numbers, categories, and outcomes.

Complaints about police conduct are handled by Police Scotland’s Professional Standards Department and overseen by the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC). Understanding the volume and pattern of complaints is important for public accountability.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]. 1. The total number of complaints received about police officers. 2. A breakdown of complaints by category (e.g. incivility, excessive force, neglect of duty). 3. The number of complaints that were upheld, not upheld, or withdrawn. 4. The number of complaints referred to the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC). I would prefer to receive this by email. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]
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Who to send it to#

Police Scotland. You can submit your request to their information management team.

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Tips#

  • Police Scotland may direct you to published statistics. If you want data for a specific division or station, say so in your request.
  • Complaints data will not identify individual officers.
  • If you are interested in a particular category of complaint (e.g. excessive force), consider making a focused request for that category with more detail.