Complaints and recognition procedures

North Yorkshire Police

To make a complaint or compliment about North Yorkshire Police, a police officer or a member of police staff, you can do this online or by  contacting the Complaints and Recognition Team at the Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioning.

• Make a complaint or compliment – online
• Call: 01423 642700 between 8.30am to 5pm Monday to Thursday 8.30am to 4.30pm on Friday
• Write to: Complaints and Recognition Team
  York and North Yorkshire Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioning
  Harrogate Police Station
  Beckwith Head Rd
  Harrogate
  HG3 1FR

The Complaints and Recognition Team is independent to ensure fairness for both residents and the police.

The team will review and resolve complaints and dissatisfaction in an efficient, rigorous and fair way.

Where complaints cannot be resolved by the team, or should the complainant request it, the matter will be referred to North Yorkshire Police’s Professional Standards Department.

You can make a complaint if you:

• Experienced inappropriate behaviour from a police officer, staff member, contractor or volunteer.
• Witnessed a police officer, staff member, contractor or volunteer acting inappropriately.
• Have been adversely affected by the conduct of a police officer, staff member, contractor or volunteer.
• Are representing someone who is in one of the categories listed above, and you wish to make a complaint on their behalf.
  You must have their written permission, this does not apply if you are the parent or guardian of a child aged 16 or under and wish to complain on their behalf.

How your complaint will be handled

• The Complaints and Recognition Team will deal with your complaint in a reasonable and proportionate way, doing what is appropriate in the circumstances, taking into account the facts and the context in which the complaint has been raised, within the framework of legislation and guidance set out in the Statutory guidance on the police complaints system published by the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
• After maning your complaint or compliment, you will receive acknowledgement within three working days.
• If you feel your complaint is justified, but minor, you may be satisfied with an explanation or an apology.  Where this is appropriate, the Complaints and Recognition Team may be able to resolve your complaint in a less formal but nevertheless thorough way, by means of a local resolution. This can be fairly flexible, and is often the quickest and most effective way to resolve a complaint.
• For more serious complaints, the Complaints and Recognition Team may ask North Yorkshire Police’s Professional Standards Department to carry out a formal investigation.
  Depending upon the seriousness of the complaint a decision is then made whether the complaint should be referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). You will be told how your complaint will be investigated and how a decision will be reached.  We will ask you how you would like to be contacted and informed of progress and we will write to you to tell you the outcome and explain whether you can request a review or appeal.

If you require any adjustments to support you through the complaints system, please let us know. For example, if you have a visual impairment, you may require the police or other organisation to provide written responses in larger text.