Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011

Investigation of serious complaints

2 (1) This paragraph applies to—

(a) serious complaints, and

(b) conduct matters,

which relate to any relevant office holder.

(2) Regulations must provide for serious complaints and conduct matters to be investigated—

(a) by the Independent Police Complaints Commission, or

(b) by a police force, in an investigation that is under the management of the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

(3) This paragraph does not prevent regulations from making provision about the receipt or initial handling of serious complaints or conduct matters otherwise than by the Independent Police Complaints Commission or a police force.

(4) This paragraph does not prevent regulations from making provision about—

(a) circumstances in which serious complaints or conduct matters are not to be investigated; and

(b) circumstances in which investigations of serious complaints or conduct matters are to be discontinued;

including provision about the determination of such matters (whether by the Independent Police Complaints Commission, a police force or otherwise).

(5) Regulations may make provision about what is to be taken to be a criminal offence for the purposes of sub-paragraph (6).

(6) In this paragraph “serious complaint” means a qualifying complaint made about conduct which constitutes or involves, or appears to constitute or involve, the commission of a criminal offence.