Submit a complaint

Submit a complaint

When you make a complaint on this page, your complaint is sent directly to the police force or organisation concerned, for them to consider.

Find out more about how the process works

A guide to the complaints process
British Asian woman sitting at computer

Complaints form

When you make a complaint through the IOPC website, this complaint is sent directly to the police force or organisation concerned, for them to consider. You can also complain directly to the police/organisation. They will assess your complaint and contact you about how it will be handled. 

The IOPC will not be involved with this initial assessment of your complaint. 

Please note, if you are trying to raise concerns about something you have seen on social media, in the news, or heard about from another person, you may not be considered to be negatively affected meaning your complaint may not be processed. Further information on this is available in our Statutory guidance on the police complaints system.

If you would prefer to send your complaint by email or in writing, please use the word or pdf version of our complaints form. This form is also available in Welsh.

If you are trying to raise concerns about something you have seen on social media, in the news, or heard about from another person, you may not be considered to be negatively affected. 

If you are using a shared computer, to protect your privacy, please clear your browsing history, including your cache and all autofill form data, after submitting the complaints form.

Accessibility

(limit 8700 characters, approximately 1200 words)

How your information will be handled

We have a legal requirement to pass the details of your complaint to the relevant police force. Please note, all the contents of this form (including your equality and diversity information) will be passed to the relevant police force for them to record.

If you have any concerns about your information being passed to the police, please call us on 0300 020 0096.

We will use any information you provide in accordance with our privacy notice. 

Information about who is making the complaint

Are you the complainant or are you making the complaint for someone else? (Required)

Your details

Date of birth

Complainant details

Date of birth

Complaint details

Tell us about the incident you are complaining about.

When did it happen? Required
(limit 8700 characters, approximately 1200 words)
(limit 8700 characters, approximately 1200 words)
What would you like to happen as a result of your complaint? (Please select all that apply) (Required)
(limit 8700 characters, approximately 1200 words)

Officer/police staff details

Do you know any details of the police officers/police staff involved in what you are complaining about? Please note, when you are contacted about your complaint you will be given further opportunity to describe any officer/staff member. (Required)
Rank Number First names Last name(s)
more items

Witness details

Please note, this will not be your only opportunity to describe witnesses. When you are contacted about your complaint, you will be able to describe any further witnesses.

Were there any witnesses? (Required)
Do you know the contact/identification details of any witnesses?
Title Last name(s) First names Address Contact number

Additional information

(limit 8700 characters, approximately 1200 words)

Equality information

We want to make sure that everyone has an equal chance to use and benefit from our services.

To help us ensure we continue to do this, it would help us if you could answer the following questions.

If you prefer, you can skip the question as it will not affect your complaint in any way. The information provided in this form will be used by public bodies involved in the police complaints system, including the police and IOPC.

You can find out how your personal information will be used in the privacy notices found on the website of each organisation. 

Which option below describes your disability? (tick all that apply)

Feedback

Confirmation and completion

By clicking on the 'Complete' button below, you are confirming the information you have provided is truthful and accurate to the best of your knowledge.

Find out how your personal information will be used by reading our privacy policy, and by accessing the websites of the other organisations involved. 

Please press the Submit button once and wait for the page to refresh. Do not press back until the page refreshes.