Police and Crime Commissioner John Tizard Opens New Dedicated Complaints Resolution Team

Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner, John Tizard, is today announcing that he is taking responsibility for the initial local stage of receiving and managing police complaints. 

This stage of the complaints service currently sits within the police service but will now be undertaken by a specialist team in the PCC’s office (OPCC). 

The new approach will provide a dedicated service that resolves complaints quickly and effectively. The team will also give support and guidance to anyone making a complaint, with staff on hand to explain the process and ensure individuals are kept informed at every stage.   

This major step is designed to make the process more effective, transparent, and independent. The PCC’s decision should not be interpreted as any criticism of the team that has been delivering this service alongside enquiry roles within the police service. 

The new arrangements will also give the public clearer routes to raise concerns and ensure they receive timely responses. The PCC has committed to acknowledging complaints within two working days.    

If a complaint cannot be resolved by the office or is outside the scope of the powers available for local resolution, it will be passed to the Professional Standards Department (PSD) for Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire, or the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) for further investigation as is the case now. 

With the complaints service now located in the PCC’s office, there will be focus on learning and improvement. Complaints will be managed with an emphasis on resolving issues.  

Crucial decisions will be made outside the police service, helping to increase public confidence that all complaints are treated fairly, impartially and with compassion.   

The PCC will also use data and analysis from trends in complaints and their resolution to strengthen governance arrangements, and to hold the Chief Constable to account, and drive improvements in performance. They are both committed to using such data for this purpose. 

John Tizard, Police and Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire said:   

“This is an important move which I committed to when I was elected and set out in my Police and Crime Plan. It is about enhancing the quality and independence of handling complaints. 

“Public trust in policing relies on openness and accountability. By handling complaints in my office, we are ensuring that people have a clear, independent route to raise concerns and that they are heard and supported throughout the process.  

“My commitment is to put the victim at the heart of services and to ensure that their interests come first. Complaints play a critical role in this. 

“Whilst we would always like there to be no need for complaints, in any public or private sector organisation a good, trusted complaints system is fundamental to respecting service users and in our case victims and the wider public. I would always encourage anyone who feels that they have grounds to complain to do so. We can learn much from complaints and analysis of trends and systematic issues raised.”  

“I wish the new complaints resolution team well, and thank the police staff who have been undertaking these duties previously.” 

Members of the public can find information on how to make a complaint or provide feedback about Bedfordshire Police on the website: Contact & Complaints.  

The service currently being undertaken by Bedfordshire Police is moving to the OPCC with no overall additional cost to either the police or the OPCC.    

The OPCC will continue working closely with Bedfordshire Police to ensure a smooth transition and provide clear guidance to the public on how to submit complaints under the new model.