Complaints Procedure
It is important that the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) is an efficient and effective organisation. We are always appreciative of any complimentary comments when things have gone well. Equally, when we get something wrong, we also want to hear from you and we will apologise and try to put things right.
Whenever you come into contact with the OPCC, you have the right to expect a professional service that meets your needs. Should the level of service fall below expectations, you have the right to complain about:
- The OPCC itself, our policies or practices;
- The Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner (more details below);
- A member of staff of the OPCC, including contractors; and
- A volunteer working on behalf of the OPCC
Complaints about the PCC or Deputy PCC
If you wish to complain about the conduct or the service you have received from the PCC or the Deputy PCC, please contact The Police & Crime Panel directly on the details below:
Email: SecretaryPCP@blackburn.gov.uk
Postal: Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, Old Town Hall, King William St, Blackburn, BB1 7DY
Tel: 01254 585585
Alternatively, you can email the OPCC on OPCCGovernance@lancashire-pcc.gov.uk and we will forward on your correspondence.
Complaints about a member of staff or a volunteer of the OPCC
If you wish to complain about the conduct or the service you have received from a member of staff or a volunteer of the OPCC, please contact the Chief Executive on the details below:
Email: Commissioner@lancashire-pcc.gov.uk
The Chief Executive
OPCC for Lancashire
CCP Building, County Hall
Preston
PR1 0LD
Tel: 01772 533587
The Chief Executive will consider your complaint and will respond to you. We will try to resolve the complaint within 20 working days of the complaint being received. If we can’t do that, we will contact you to keep you updated on progress and to advise you when we expect to conclude the complaint.
Complaints about the Chief Executive of the OPCC
If you wish to complain about the conduct or the service you have received from the Chief Executive (Monitoring Officer), please contact the Police and Crime Commissioner at the same contact details as above or by email at OPCCGovernance@lancashire-pcc.gov.uk
What we will do
The Commissioner will ask the Deputy Monitoring Officer or another officer to deal with this.
Complaints about the Conduct of the Chief Constable
The Police and Crime Commissioner is responsible for acting as the ‘Appropriate Authority’ in the recording and investigation of complaints and conduct matters against the Chief Constable. If you wish to make a complaint about the conduct of the Chief Constable, then please contact the Police and Crime Commissioner on the address set out above or by email on OPCCGovernance@lancashire-pc.gov.uk
Complaints about a Police Officer from Lancashire Constabulary
From the 1 February 2020, the Police and Crime Commissioners took over the appeals function previously carried out by their forces PSDs (Professional Standards Departments) for low level complaints.
This means that the Police and Crime Commissioner cannot deal with complaints in respect of police officers at or below the rank of Deputy Chief Constable or of a police staff member. Nor can the Police and Crime Commissioner deal with complaints about the service you have received from Lancashire Constabulary.
In such cases, you will need to contact the Lancashire Constabulary Professional Standards Department.
Complaints | Lancashire Constabulary
Professional Standards Department
Police Headquarters
P O Box 77
Hutton
Preston, PR4 5SB
If you require any further information on how the office will conduct police complaint reviews, please see our information document.
Reporting in relation to complaints
The Elected Local Policing Bodies (Specified Information) (Amendment) Order 2021 was implemented in May 2021.
This Order provides that information relating to a police force’s performance against the Government’s published national priorities for policing, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) performance reports on the force, and complaint handling must be published.
(a) the most recent— (i) quarterly data in relation to that police force; (ii) annual statistics report, published by the Independent Office for Police Conduct;
- a) the most recent
(i) quarterly data in relation to that police force: IOPC Complaints Statistics – Your Local Police Force
(ii) annual statistics report: IOPC Complaints Statistics
published by the Independent Office for Police Conduct. (available via the above links)
(b) a report setting out—
(i)details of how the elected local policing body has fulfilled its duty under —
(aa) in the case of police and crime commissioners, section 1(8)(ca) of the 2011 Act (police and crime commissioners)(4) to hold the chief constable to account for the exercise of the chief constable’s functions under Part 2 of the Police Reform Act 2002(5) in relation to the handling of complaints;
Professional Standards Report presented to the PCC – 22nd November 2023
Minutes of the Accountability Board – 22nd November 2023
(ii) an assessment by the elected local policing body of its performance in exercising its functions under paragraph 30(1)(b) of Schedule 3 to the Police Reform Act 2002 (reviews: the relevant review body)(7);
We are currently awaiting Home Office Guidance as to what information is required. Further information will be published as soon as it is received.
(iii) where the elected local policing body has given notice to the chief officer of the police force maintained by the body under section 13A of the Police Reform Act 2002 (local policing bodies: functions in relation to complaints)(8) that it is to exercise certain functions of the chief officer in relation to complaints, an assessment by the body of its performance in exercising those functions.”.
This is not applicable to the Lancashire OPCC. Further information on the complaints reform decision can be found here.