NEW regulations requiring Gwent Police Authority to monitor complaints made to the police force could lead to “differences of opinion,” according to the authority’s chief executive.
The government brought in the new responsibilities under an order which came into effect in the middle of March and authorities are now required to monitor complaints by members of the public to the police force and to intervene if the force’s response to a complaint is unsatisfactory.
In a report, set to be discussed by Gwent Police Authority on Friday, chief executive Cilla Davies said concerns have been raised by the Association of Police Authorities (APA) and the Association of Police Authority Chief Executives over the introduction of the regulations.
She said the main issue is that the regulations impose a “non-discretionary duty” on police authorities to intervene in complaints both in general and where the conclusion is unsatisfactory.
Mrs Davies said: “A majority of the complaints that fall within these duties are likely to be ‘direction and control’ matters and therefore under the Police Act 1996 are the sole concern of the Chief Constable.
“This could lead to differences of opinion in the way in which the regulations between the Police Authority and the Chief Constable are to be discharged.”
The report states that the Association of Police Authorities is preparing guidelines specifying that it is up to the police authority to decide what is unsatisfactory and at what level intervention will be made.
Mrs Davies concluded: “It is unfortunate that these regulations have been implemented without proper consideration, despite requests from the Association of Police Authorities and the Independent Police Complaints Commission to have them withdrawn.
“We will work with the Chief Constable to ensure that the implementation of these regulations in Gwent is undertaken in a professional and realistic manner.”
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