Complaints against Ayrshire police are slashed

Dec 18 2009 Ayrshire Post (main ed)

COMPLAINTS against police have been slashed by almost 90 per cent.

Cops in Ayrshire are being given the thumbs up after their top performance.

Only two complaints were made against officers during October – down from 18 at the same time last year.

The figures put Ayrshire among the top performing divisions in Scotland.

It comes in the same year that complaints on the national level have risen by 13 per cent.

Superintendent Richard Stevens, deputy divisional commander for Ayrshire, is delighted with the news.

He said: “Such a significant drop in the number of complaints against the division is an extremely positive sign.

“Of course, one complaint is too many but those unhappy with our service rightly have a route they can go down.

“It is important the public know they can lodge a formal complaint, should they feel the need to do so.

“All complaints are taken seriously and investigated thoroughly, with action taken if it’s required.”

Of the two complaints against Ayrshire cops, one related to an off-duty incident.

But despite the improved performance of ‘U’ division, the complaints are rising elsewhere in Scotland.

John McNeill, police complaints commissioner for Scotland, insists more complaints isn’t always a bad thing.

He said: “Complaints about the police are part of policing.

“The collection and analysis of complaints is fundamental to the culture of continuous improvement that Iwant to encourage in Scotland’s police.

“I would argue that any increase in complaints arises in part from the public having more confidence in the police and expecting higher standards from them.

“When they feel let down, they are making use of the formal complaints systems that exist to register that dissatisfaction.”