Sexual misconduct, discrimination and corruption were among thousands of allegations made about police in the North East last year.
The public made 3,981 complaints about police in the region in 2020/21, according to Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) figures published today.
That included 1,322 to Northumbria Police, 993 to Durham Police and 1,166 complaints to Cleveland Police.
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These are the first complaints statistics to be published since moving to a new system of recording complaints, under new regulations within the Policing and Crime Act, which came into force in February 2020.
Under the new system, any expression of dissatisfaction by a member of the public about the service they have received from a police force is logged as a complaint.
These can either be dealt with informally, or recorded formally if the allegation is more serious, the complainant wants it recorded or they were unhappy with the initial handling - with police across the North East recording 2,089 formal complaints last year.
The total 3,981 complaints made to the forces in 2020/21 covered 6,021 allegations.
The most common cause for complaint was delivery of duties and services, such as decisions made by police or their actions after contact with the public, covering 2,424 allegations.
In the North East, police also received 16 allegations relating to sexual conduct, which includes assaults and harassment, 135 relating to discriminatory behaviour, and 113 relating to abuse of position or corruption.
Information on outcomes isn’t broken down by police force. However, 4,923 allegations against police in the North East were finalised (when the complainant is notified about the outcome and any planned action) in 2020/21.
Of these, 1,965 were dealt with informally. Of those dealt with as part of formally recorded complaints, 1,923 were resolved without investigation, and 1,035 were finalised after an investigation.
Temporary Chief Inspector Rachel Hills, head of Durham Constabulary’s Professional Standards Department, said: “The public and Durham Constabulary quite rightly expect the highest professional standards from our officers and staff at all times, and appropriate action will be taken against anyone who falls short of these expectations.
“Durham Constabulary record allegations of complaints in line with IOPC and Home Office guidance and we are committed to making the complaint process as open, honest and transparent as possible.
“Anyone who is unhappy with the service they have received from the force should report this to us. Details of how to do this can be found on our website.”
A spokesperson for Northumbria Police said: “Any complaint received by the Force is dealt with in line with national guidelines.
“We expect officers, staff and volunteers to maintain the highest of standard at all times and if anyone is found to have fallen below these we are committed to taking appropriate action.
“We value the opinions of the communities we serve and anyone wishing to provide feedback can find details of how to do so on our website.
“We are determined to continually build on the trust and confidence people have in the service we provide.”
A Cleveland Police spokesperson said: “All complaints made to the Force are investigated thoroughly and an open and transparent process is in place for bringing these to conclusion.
“Any behaviour by our officers and staff which falls below our expected standard will not be tolerated.
"Any allegations of sexual misconduct will be investigated as a priority and we would urge anyone who has concerns of this nature, or any other complaint, to get in touch via 101 or follow the complaints procedure on our website.”
Meanwhile, across England and Wales, 67,732 complaint cases were logged in 2020/21, and 36,365 of these were recorded formally, covering 109,151 allegations.
A total of 38,982 people serving with the police were subject to a complaint - 67% of those complained about were male and where their ethnicity was known, 81% were White.
Police across the country recorded 128 allegations of sexual assault and 23 allegations of sexual harassment last year. There were also 3,764 reports of discriminatory behaviour, with the majority (2,375) relating to racial discrimination.
IOPC Director General Michael Lockwood said he was encouraged that widening the definition of a complaint and removing barriers to recording had led to a significant increase in complaints received, and that many are being resolved quickly with tailored responses such as explanations and apologies that address the concerns raised.
He said: “An effective complaints system, and independent oversight of it, is a vital part of securing public confidence in policing.
"Now, more than ever, the public need assurance that policing is listening to their concerns and taking action to put things right. They want to know that there are checks and balances to police powers and there is accountability and learning when things go wrong.”
