Reform Police and Council Complaints

Dear Mr Corbyn

The petition below calls for urgent change to the current police and council complaints procedure.

As a political leader who repeatedly defends human rights and the rule of law, we ask that you please consider the text of this petition and the comments of the people who sign it, in order that your party are aware of this desperate need for change.

In recent years police and council failings have been apparent in tragic cases such as that of Bijan Ebrahimi (police and council) the insensitive treatment of early victims of John Worboys (police), and the horrific Grenfell Tower fire (council).

My own relative has been the victim of abuse for many years and, like Mr Ebrahimi who begged the police to help him for 7 years before his abusers murdered him, my relative has begged the council to help for 6 years, and the police for 4 years.

Based on my relative's experiences it seems that one of the reasons for failings is because there is no thorough complaints system to hold the police and council to account. The current complaint system seems to be performance-based as opposed to legal-based. So a police officer forgetting to record an incident is misconduct, but ignoring legislation, ignoring human rights and failing statutory duties like adult safeguarding is not misconduct.

This performance-based type of complaint system may be fine for a bank or other business, but would seem to be inadequate when dealing with the needs of abuse victims, hate crime victims, and the wellbeing of tenants.

My suggestion is a victim complaints panel to replace all existing tiers of authority complaints. The panel will consist of lawyers and will effectively act as a solicitor for the victim, ensuring that where a victim faces physical or mental harm, intervention will be immediate (in accordance with the Care Act 2014, and stalking protocol), and the panel will ensure that the police and council observe all relevant legislation and human rights laws regarding the victim. The same system will be used for anyone who makes a complaint to the police and council.

Such a system can only be a help to the police and council, who are continually expected to take on more specialist roles, with less resources for adequate training. The victim complaints panel would ensure that complaints are resolved swiftly and in line with all law, which could only improve the performance of local authorities. For example, my relative has used up four years of police time with no result yet. This time costs money and it is wasted if the victim is still in the same situation. And if all the existing levels were abolished: the PSD and IOPC (police), Level 1 and 2 procedures and housing ombudsman (council), along with MARAC, Community Trigger and other initiatives it would be affordable. All the previous levels of complaint mentioned have been ineffective for my relative.

The victims complaints panel may also ease the burden on legal aid and stop police and councils being sued as often. Getting complaints dealt with correctly the first time would seem to be in everyone's interest.

Thank you for your consideration.