Compliments and Complaints

Compliments and Complaints

• The Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner cannot interfere in operational policing or demand that the Chief Constable changes how he uses his policing resources.
• The Office of the PFCC (OPFCC) cannot provide updates on how a crime is being investigated.
• If your enquiry is about an operational policing matter, then it will be passed to Essex Police for them to respond to you directly.

The Police Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC) values interaction with the public and the office will respond to all correspondence in a transparent manner with accurate, timely information.

Contact can be made by the following:Email pfcc@essex.police.uk Telephone: 01245 161600

In writing: Police Fire and Crime Commissioner’s Office Kelvedon Park London Road, Rivenhall Essex CM8 3HB

• The Police Fire and Crime Commissioner’s office will endeavour to respond fully within 25 working days of receipt.
• If the information is not held within PFCC’s office, we will forward your enquiry to Essex Police or Essex County Fire and Rescue Service and will ask that they either liaise directly with you or provide this office with the information which we will then pass on.

• We will send an acknowledgement for all correspondence within 3 working days.

• If it is not possible to respond within 25 working days, we shall let you know.

• Freedom of Information and Subject Access requests will be handled within the statutory timeframes and in accordance with our Access to Information Policy available to view: Access-to-Information-Policy-Final-v8-25.01.24.pdf
• All correspondence received will be recorded on our correspondence system retained in accordance with our Privacy Notice which is available to view online at: Privacy Policy - Essex PFCC

Voicemails received by the PFCC’s office (via our main telephone number 01245 291600) will be responded to the first working day thereafter.

All reports of non-urgent crime should be made by calling 101 or using Essex Police online reporting system at: Report a crime | Essex Police

Compliments and Complaints against:

The Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC)

Where a member of the public wishes to make an allegation or complaint that the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner has failed to comply with the PFCC’s Code of Conduct, that allegation must be put in writing to the Police, Fire and Crime Panel, Essex County Council, County Hall, Market Road, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1QH.

The latest version of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner’s Voluntary Code of Conduct is included as Schedule 7 of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner’s Constitution. This can be viewed by clicking here.

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service

Do you have a compliment or complaint for Essex County Fire and Rescue Service (ECFRS)?

If you’ve received an especially good service from ECFRS, we’d love to hear about it. Feedback helps the Service to acknowledge the things they are doing right, so they can make sure they carry on doing those things in the future. We also understand that, sometimes, things go wrong. If ECFRS hasn’t met your expectations, you can let them know so that they can improve the service the service they provide. Complaints are always dealt with quickly, fairly and consistently. You can call them on 0300 303 5555 or send them an email at compliments.complain@essex-fire.gov.uk

Essex Police

Essex Police always welcome and encourage feedback as it is an important element of understanding how they can improve their service. As such we hope you are happy with the way Essex Police deal with you and if so we would ask you to tell us when you are. If however you feel they have not met the high standards that have been set or you are otherwise unhappy with the service provided or with the conduct of their staff, you can make a complaint.

The Chief Constable

Members of the public can make a complaint against the Chief Constable by writing to the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner at Kelvedon Park, London Road, Rivenhall, Witham, Essex CM8 3HB.

Police officers and police staff

Members of the public can make a complaint against the conduct of all other members of the police service using any of the following methods:

• In person at any police station or in writing, online or fax.
• By phone, e-mail or writing to the Independent Office for Police Conduct. (See bottom of page).
• By a third party i.e. a friend, an associate or family member or a solicitor, Citizens Advice Bureau or Community Representative provided the complainant gives permission, preferably in writing, for them to make the complaint on their behalf.

Any compliment or complaint should be directed to:

Professional Standards Department
Essex Police Headquarters
Springfield Road
Chelmsford
Essex
CM2 6DA

Or complete online at Complaints | Essex Police

Staff of the OPFCC

If a member of the public wishes to make a complaint against a member of the PFCC’s staff, they should write to:

The Chief Executive
Kelvedon Park, London Road, Rivenhall, Witham, Essex CM8 3HB

You can make a complaint if you are a member of the public who:

• Has been the victim of the misconduct by any member of the police service.
• Witnessed or was affected by the misconduct.
• Is a friend, relative or representative of the victim of the misconduct.

What should my complaint say?

As well as your name, address and contact details, the main things that your complaint should cover are:

• What happened
• When it happened
• Who was involved
• What was said or done
• Whether there were any witnesses other than yourself and the person serving with the police
• Where the witnesses can be contacted, if known
• Details of any damage or injury which took place

Policy on dealing with abusive, persistent or unreasonable contact, correspondence and complaints

The Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner aims to deal with all correspondence and complaints equitably, but there will be occasions when individuals make unreasonable demands of the office by way of correspondence or complaints.

Our policy on dealing with abusive, persistent or unreasonable contact, correspondence and complaints outlines the circumstances when we may decline to investigate a correspondence or complaint.

You can view the Policy here.

The role of the Professional Standards Department (PSD)

The Professional Standards Department is responsible for the investigation of complaints against police officers and police staff made by members of the public, the management of complaints and the investigation of misconduct.

Essex Police undertake to investigate all complaints swiftly and fairly and will provide you with the result of their investigation.

How Essex Police will deal with your complaint.

It may be that in the first instance, your concern will be sent to the relevant local policing area or command for them to make contact with you, even if your query relates to members of staff from within that area.

If the issue you are raising cannot be dealt with over the telephone or in writing by them, then they may seek to meet with you to complete a complaint form. You may then be offered a process called a Local Resolution to address your concerns. The officer taking your complaint will fully explain the process which will involve drawing up an action plan specifically aimed at resolving your complaint (usually within 28 days). This will be carried out and you will be contacted to confirm that this has been done. Should you remain unhappy at the end of the process you have a right of appeal to the IOPC and you will be provided with a leaflet which explains how to do this.

Should a Local Resolution not be possible or you do not agree to adopt this process, then the matter may be fully investigated and Essex Police has a team of investigators within Professional Standards Department for this purpose. Although allocated 120 days to investigate a complaint, Essex Police aim to complete the majority within 90 days. At the end of this process you will receive a report telling you what has been done and what the outcome is. This will include (if appropriate) details of any discipline procedures that are proposed to be taken against the officer/s or staff member/s. Again you have a right of appeal to the IOPC and details of how to do this will be provided when the report is sent to you.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC)

The IOPC is a statutory body, which may supervise or manage an investigation relating to the conduct of staff or in some cases, conduct the enquiry itself.

It will also conduct a review of the investigation should you choose to exercise your right of appeal.

For more information visit www.policeconduct.gov.uk or write to:

The Independent Office for Police Conduct
PO Box 473
Sale
M33 0BW

Telephone: 0300 020 0096 (press 2 at prompt)
Email: enquiries@policeconduct.gov.uk

Police Appeal Tribunals

Police Appeals Tribunals (PATs) hear appeals against the findings of gross (serious) misconduct brought by police officers or special constables. The appeal hearings are held in public.

The Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner for Essex is responsible for appointing the chair to conduct the proceedings. For more information, please click here.

Essex Police Quarterly Complaints & Conduct Reports

Updated 18.4.24