Police complaints scrutiny panel publishes latest report and holds quarterly meeting

Last week, the Independent Scrutiny of Police Complaints Panel (ISPCP) held its second quarterly meeting of the year and published its latest quarterly report.

The panel exists to review and scrutinise police complaints and provide feedback and learning. It’s made up of 14 independent members who are all volunteers representing communities across Avon and Somerset, to ensure the public voice is represented in policing scrutiny.

Clare Moody, Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “Independent scrutiny like this helps ensure that complaints from the public are being processed in a fair and transparent way. The accountability this provides is essential for strengthening trust and confidence in the service and ensuring that Avon and Somerset Police can develop its practice and learn from their observations. It forms a key part of delivering on my Police and Crime Plan priority to improve standards of policing, so that people receive a fair and effective service and serving officers remain accountable to the public they serve.”

The Quarterly Report (March 2026)

ISPCP’s latest report details their findings from last quarter in which they reviewed 24 police complaint files, with a focus on complaints relating to social media or missing persons.

The panel found that most cases were judged to have been handled in an open, fair, and proportionate manner, with the correct final outcome usually achieved.

However, several recommendations were given to Avon and Somerset Police’s Professional Standards Department (PSD), which works closely with ISPCP to receive their feedback and embed learning across the force.

Recommendations included: improving file-saving structure in PSD to support clearer organisation and consistency across complaint cases; exploring different call-recording options for ongoing complaints, to support clearer records of complex complaint-related conversations; and introducing a Single Point of Contact for families in missing persons cases, to provide consistent communication and dedicated support for families.

PSD also provided an update in the report about their current priority areas, including embedding trauma-informed approaches across the organisation and responding to the recent HMICFRS report highlighting areas for improvement.

The full report can be read here.

The Quarterly Meeting (June 2026)

Last week, the panel also held their second quarterly meeting of the year.

The panel reviewed a total of 20 cases, focusing on complaints about police powers, policies and procedures. Their feedback was provided to PSD representatives and will inform the next quarterly report.

The panel was given an update from PSD about ongoing priorities and how previous feedback and learning is being actioned.

In line with the meeting’s theme, the panel also heard a presentation on operational training around police use of force, within the framework of the National Decision Model.

Bryan Knickerbocker, Chair of the Independent Scrutiny of Police Complaints Panel, said: “Over the past year, the panel has continued to review samples of complaint files – testing decision-making, communication, and outcomes from a public perspective. Our scrutiny has highlighted the importance of clarity, empathy, and proportionality, particularly in resolving complaints promptly and without unnecessary bureaucracy or overly lengthy processes.”