Professional Standards Department
Quarterly Complaints and Conduct data July– Sept 2015
North Wales Police is comprised of over 2,600 officers and support staff committed to
delivering our strategic vision of A Safer North Wales. The Force covers a geographical area
of over 6,200 km2 consisting of the counties of Anglesey, Gwynedd, Conwy, Denbighshire,
Flintshire and Wrexham.
The Force control room receives over 529,000 calls per year which result in officers and staff
dealing with over 225,000 incidents. North Wales Police dealt with over 36,000 recorded
crimes in the last year.
Providing a good quality of service to the public is important to us. Against the context of
these calls for our service it is perhaps understandable that we don’t always get things right.
The Force Professional Standards Department is responsible for the management of all
complaints against police and conduct issues.
Public Complaints
During the period 01/07/2015 to 30/09/2015;

221 public complaints / allegations were recorded by the Force1

270 allegations were finalised2

67 allegations were resolved by means of the local resolution process3

119 allegations were not upheld4

26 allegations were upheld
1
The Force is obliged by law to record complaints using criteria set out in the legislation and guidance. This figure is the
total number of allegations received from members of the public that the Force recorded during this time period.
2
A case is finalised when it has been investigated or locally resolved and the outcome provided to the complainant.
Finalisation also takes into account the time where a complaint is subject of an appeal after the investigation or local
resolution.
3
Local resolution is a flexible process for dealing with complaints that can be adapted to the needs of the complainant. It
might involve, for example, providing information and explanation, an apology, or a meeting between the complainant and
the officer complained about. The process will only be used where the conduct complained about (even if it were proved)
would not justify bringing criminal or disciplinary proceedings.
4
At the end of the investigation it must specify whether, on the balance of probabilities, when assessing all the evidence,
the allegation is proven or not (upheld or not upheld).
Conduct
In addition to public complaints, the Professional Standards Department investigates matters
relating to the conduct of North Wales Police officers and staff. These may emanate from
information and intelligence received internally or externally and occasionally as a result of a
public complaint.
During this period:

16 conduct investigations were commenced

12 conduct investigations were finalised
Misconduct Meeting outcomes
If an investigation determines there is a case to answer for Misconduct5, then a range of
possible outcomes is available from ‘no action’ through to ‘final written warning’. A
Misconduct Meeting is a formal disciplinary process chaired by a senior officer that
determines the outcome or sanction. There one Misconduct Meeting held during the period
under review.
Date of Meeting
22/07/2015
Breach of standards
Authority, respect, courtesy: relating to
conduct of search of a juvenile on suspicion
of drugs offence (3 allegations)
Outcome
1 allegation proven. No
further action as
management action had
already been applied.
Misconduct Hearing outcomes
If an investigation determines there is a case to answer for Gross Misconduct6, then this will
be heard before a misconduct hearing. This is a formal disciplinary process involving a panel
chaired by a Chief Officer and includes an independent member appointed by the Office of
the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC). The misconduct hearing panel has the
additional sanction of dismissal available to them. Two Hearings were held during the period.
Date of Hearing
18/09/2015
Breach of standards
Confidentiality/Duties and Responsibilities; use of
systems for non-policing purpose/failure to
comply with Business Interest policy.
Outcome
Dismissed without
notice
18/08/2015
Confidentiality: 6 breaches of data protection and
2 charges of contravening a lawful order (Order
and Instructions).
Dismissed without
notice
09/07/2015
2 charges of Honesty and Integrity in relation to
misrepresentations made to officer’s supervisor
and one charge of Duties and Responsibilities
regarding use of airwave.
Dismissed without
notice
Further guidance on the police complaints system can be found on the Force website at www.northwales.police.uk or the Independent Police Complaints Commission website at
http://www.ipcc.gov.uk/complaints
5
Misconduct is defined as a breach of the Standards of Professional Behaviour as defined by the Police (Conduct) Regulations
2012
6
Gross Misconduct is defined as a breach of the Standards of Professional Behaviour so serious that if either admitted or
proven, dismissal from the Force could be justified.