Staffordshire police, fire and crime panel

The panel's role is to scrutinise the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, to promote transparency of Police and Fire and Rescue business and also to support the Commissioner in the effective exercise of their functions.

Contents

Making a complaint about the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner

Complaints procedure

The Police, Fire and Crime Panel does not handle complaints about the Police or the Fire and Rescue Service.

The below relates to complaints against the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner and/or the Deputy Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.

Introduction 

The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (updated by the Policing and Crime Act 2017) established the Police, Fire and Crime Panel (‘The Panel’) and gives the Panel the responsibility for the handling of complaints and conduct matters against the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (‘The Commissioner’) and/or the Deputy Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (‘The Deputy Commissioner’).

The Elected Local Policing Bodies (Complaints and Misconduct) Regulations 2012 set out the way in which complaints or conduct matters about a Commissioner or a Deputy Commissioner should be handled.

Our Monitoring Officer acts as the Secretary and Monitoring Officer to the Panel and has been appointed by the Panel to receive and deal with complaints and conduct matters against the Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner on its behalf. The Monitoring Officer is independent and experienced in handling complaints.

The Monitoring Officer reports annually to the Panel on complaints and conduct matters dealt with by him.

Definitions 

(a) Complaint 
A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction. The Panel will only consider complaints against the personal actions/conduct of the Commissioner or the Deputy Commissioner.

Complaints about decisions or actions of the Commissioner or his Deputy in relation to Policy matters or operational policing matters will not be considered by, or on behalf of, the Panel

(b) Conduct Matters 
A conduct matter is where there is an indication (whether from circumstance or otherwise) that the Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner may have committed a criminal offence.

How to Complain About the Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner 

(a) Conduct Matters 
If your complaint relates to a conduct matter that you feel may involve the Commissioner, or his Deputy, then you should contact the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). You can do this as follows:  

Telephone: 0300 020 0096  

E-mail: enquiries@policeconduct.gov.uk

Post:

Independent Office for Police Conduct, 
PO Box 473, 
Sale,
M33 0BW 

(b) Other Complaints 
If your complaint does not relate to a criminal offence, by the Commissioner or his Deputy or if you are not sure whether a criminal offence is involved, you should submit your complaint in writing, giving as much information as possible to Staffordshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel’s Monitoring Officer:

Staffordshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel Monitoring Officer
c/o Mandy Pattinson
Member and Democratic Services Unit,
Staffordshire Place 2
Staffordshire County Council, 
Stafford, 
ST16 2LP

Telephone: 01785 278502

E-mail: mandy.pattinson@staffordshire.gov.uk  

It is important that you sign your complaint and provide your name and address. We will not consider anonymous complaints. You may request that your details are kept anonymous and this will be considered by the Monitoring Officer, who will contact you to discuss that request.