The number of complaints against West Mercia police officers has risen by seven per cent over the past year, it was revealed today.
Figures released by the Independent Police Complaints Commission show 850 complaints were recorded against the force in 2006/07 compared with 796 in 2005/06.
Nationally, the number of complaints went up by 10 per cent to 28,998.
Chief Superintendent Anthony Bangham, head of West Mercia’s professional standards department, welcomed the figures and said they revealed “a growing confidence” by the public in reporting their concerns.
He added: “The force is committed to being locally accountable to local people.
“People should feel confident to report any concerns they have regarding the conduct of staff with the knowledge we will take these matters very seriously.”
Main grumbles in West Mercia are about incivility, impoliteness and intolerance; and neglect of duty.
Fifty seven per cent of West Mercia’s complaints are resolved locally, compared with 47 per cent nationally.
8 Comments
My complaint with the fuzz is they are over-doing it with the day-glo. Lurid yellow on their jackets, cars and very possibly their pepper spray cans too. Now you wouldn’t catch that lovely Nick Berry from Heartbeat in flourescents now would you, and obviously everything was better then. I mean the Kray’s only tortured their own kind and they did love their mum.
Chief Superintendent Bangham
‘welcomes’ a 7% increase in complaints made against West Mercia Police and in the next breath he says that it shows a ‘growing confidence’ by the public?
What the hell does he mean?
But then again this comment is from a police force that states on it’s website that ‘house burglary is rare in West mercia’ - BUT what of burglary of commercial premises? - From what I am told not so rare.
Iv’e heard of twisted logic but this just about takes the biscuit.
There are approximately 125,000 Police Officers in the country and these produced 28,998 complaints.
West Mercia has 1,200 officers who produced 850 complaints.
It does not need anyone above primary school level to show that West Mercia is way above the national average for complaints against Police and this fact should give rise for serious concern with Senior Officers in West Mercia.
We can do without the stupid comments of Chief Superintendents who appear to “welcome” complaints and want to treat the public as idiots and subject them to the spin that we have become accustomed to from New Labour politicians of the Blair / Brown variety.
With todays Senior Police Officers this comment is about par for the course.
Whilst I take into account that a lot of complaints are just, and should be taken into account. The majority will be from arrogant, stuck up and bitter people who have been busted by an officer for doing 40mph in a 30 for example and feel they should be exempt from the law.
Correction, I should have said West Mercia has 2,200 officers, this was a !typing” eror and my other comments remain the same.
But, to continue. Granted Morgan, I agree to some extent but many will also be from genuine people who have been confronted with an untidy, slovenly, “louch” individual who speaks as he looks. They command no respect in their black, “Heinz 57 Variety” uniforms and complaints are the inevitable outcome.
generally when a police officer comes into contact with more people he will get more complaints. Whilst some complaints are justified it is often the case that many are simply malicious and frivolous.
I do hope that this rise in complaints stems from the fact that the police are actually doing some good work. The good work,, ie that which is for the good of us all, usually manages to make some toe rag moan.
police officers are human and as such will behave like one , over the years i’ve seen very nice police officers, and some quite unpleasant ones , i,e agressive, rude , and yes violent , i have never been arrested etc but would say no complaint is trivial all complaints must be investigated to the full, but the odd copper who is a bad apple in the bunch may not progress up the ladder but he remains in his job that is the problem . a police officer should be polite and civil to the general public but perhaps it is the power trip some get that lets the rest down .i remember one x cop saying to me you atart polte and slowly raise your authority if the general public do not listen to you, i watched one shout from his car window ( as he drove along) to a kid get the bike of the pavement now boy , that cop aint going to get respect from that kid is he ? he should have stopped and had a chat to the lad about it and why he shouldnt being do it , but then again the same cop drove past 6adult cyclist rideing 3 abreast and never said anything.
David, I’m sure that the majority of the people of Shropshire, Hereford & Worcester appreciate the good work that West Mercia Police do. BUT unfortunately there seems from the official figures released to be an exceptionally high percentage of complaints against West Mercia officers (as quantified by Alan 4 comments above this).
And frankly things are not made better by you using the sort of offensive terminology that the public are seemingly becoming used to from the police themselves.