Huge rise in police complaints against Welsh forces

Three Welsh police forces have seen huge rises in the number of complaints they received last year.

North Wales Police had 473 complaints in 2014/15 - a 43% rise on the previous year - Independent Police Complaints Commission figures (IPCC) show.

Gwent Police had 398 complaints - up 28 - and South Wales Police saw a 20% rise to 864. But Dyfed-Powys had 268 complaints - a decrease of 18%.

There were record number of complaints against police in England and Wales.

A total of 37,105 complaint cases were recorded in 2014-15 - a 6% rise in the amount of complaints made in 2013-14.

The most common complaint made was for "neglect or failure in duty".

In Wales, the number of complaints in the last five years have increased at a slightly higher rate than the increase nationally.

Compared to 2009/10, the number of complaint cases recorded by Welsh forces in 2014/15 increased by 10%. Over England and Wales as a whole the increase was 8%.

The figures found:

• North Wales Police: had 330 complaints in 2013/14. This year it had 473

• Gwent Police had 311 complaints last year but 398 this year

• South Wales Police had 721 complaints last year and 864 this year

• Dyfed-Powys Police had 328 complaints last year, dropping to 268 this year

The IPCC said the figures also revealed "marked inconsistencies" in whether forces investigated most complaints formally, or used more informal "local resolution" processes.

Dame Anne Owers, chairwoman of the IPCC, said overall the figures showed a complaints system that was "both over-complex and inconsistent, and is clearly failing to satisfy a significant number of complainants".

She said: "Chief officers and police and crime commissioners should look closely at the figures for their own forces to satisfy themselves that complainants are being treated fairly and well.

"However, the underlying problem is the system itself. We welcome the fact that the government proposes to bring in legislation to simplify and streamline a system that at present satisfies neither those who need it nor those who have to operate it."

The number of complaints made to the watchdog marks the most it has received since it started collecting data in 2004-05.

Det Supt Richard Lewis, Dyfed-Powys Police's head of professional standards department, welcomed the reduction in complaints, adding: "It is important to us that people have the confidence to report complaints, and know that we have a thorough procedure for investigating and monitoring complaints."