Changes made to Guernsey Police complaints system

The filter will bring Guernsey in line with all other jurisdictions in the British Isles

Changes have been made to the way police complaints are handled, Guernsey's Committee for Home Affairs (HA) has said.

The Police Complaints Regulations provides independent oversight into the investigation of complaints against the police to increase public confidence and trust in the police.

The amendment will apply a filter to each complaint to avoid "repetitious, vexatious, or transparently unfounded complaints undermining the system".

The CHA said the filter would give the appropriate authority the power to review existing evidence after receiving the complaint before being further investigated under the provisions of the law, which was not allowed in the previous regulations.

The States said the amendments would provide confidence for the public but also to officers to ensure it was a fair process.

It added that the introduction of the filter would bring Guernsey in line with all other jurisdictions in the British Isles.

'Gaps in legislation'

Deputy Rob Prow, HA President, said "gaps in the legislation" had been abused by repeated complaints "flooding the system".

He said: "With these issues so clearly highlighted, it was imperative that amendments were made to the law and regulations.

"The filter will ensure the process is proportionate, providing for an informed assessment of alleged conduct that enables complaints without foundation to be dealt with effectively at an early procedural stage."

Mr Prow said for legitimate complaints to "get lost among complaints which are repetitious, or otherwise an abuse of process is simply not right and an unnecessary drain on our precious resources, and I am pleased we have been able to change that going forwards".

The States said the independent Police Complaints Commission needed to agree with the assessment by the appropriate authority, and if it did not, an investigation would need to take place.