If you wish to make a formal complaint against the police then you should write to the Chief Constable of the force in question. This is because, under the terms of the Police (Scotland) Act 1967, Chief Constables are entirely responsible for operational matters affecting their force, including investigating complaints.
The Police Complaints Commissioner for Scotland (PCCS) was established in 2007 to oversee complaints handling procedures in Scottish police forces. The PCCS can look into complaints against the police to decide whether the police handled the matter appropriately. However, the PCCS will only look into a case once the force has provided its response. If, having made your complaint to the police, you are unhappy with the response, you can contact the PCCS.
A guide for the public on the role of the Police Complaints Commissioner for Scotland has been produced.
The PCCS can be contacted in the following ways:
Police Complaints Commissioner for Scotland (PCCS)
Hamilton House
Hamilton Business Park
Caird Park
Hamilton
ML3 0QA
Tel: 0808 178 5577
E-mail: enquiries@pcc-scotland.org
Web: www.pcc-scotland.org
Complaints about the Police leaflet
The Complaints about the Police leaflet explains what to do if you wish to make a complaint about a Scottish Police force, and how these are dealt with.