Making a complaint against Cambridgeshire Police Authority

The service you have received or how our people have treated you

Whenever you come into contact with Cambridgeshire Police Authority you have the right to expect a professional service that meets your needs. When things don’t go well, it is important to us that we learn and improve.

Should the level of service fall below expectations you have the right to complain about:

• The authority itself - our polices or practice including your access to information under our Publication Scheme
• A member of our staff or a volunteer working on behalf of the authority
• An individual member of the authority

If you wish to make a complaint you must do so in writing* although you may wish to speak to us first. Please address your complaint to: The Chief Executive, Cambridgeshire Police Authority at our contact address or email dorothy.gregson@cambs.pnn.police.uk

If you wish to make a complaint against a member of the authority, you should first raise your concerns in confidence with the Chief Executive, who is the Monitoring Officer. You may write to her or simply pick up the ‘phone in the first instance.

If your complaint is against the Chief Executive, you may write in confidence directly to the Chairman of Cambridgeshire Police Authority at the authority’s contact address.

*If you have difficulty putting your concerns in writing, call us and we will record the details for you, and check back with you that the statement is correct.

Access to information

Cambridgeshire Police Authority and Cambridgeshire Constabulary are separate bodies under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and so requests need to be directed accordingly. Please note that the constabulary has its own Information Access Office which can be contacted by emailing: foi@cambs.police.pnn.uk.

If you are unhappy with the way we have handled your request for information then there is a formal process for reviewing this with statutory timeframes. If we have refused you information to which you think you are entitled then we may be able to help you further. Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome and we would encourage you to discuss the matter with the case officer that dealt with your request. You also have the right to require us to review our decision, and the quickest and easiest way is again to contact the case officer who will be able to discuss the decisions, explain any issues and assist with any problems.

Still dissatisfied?

• If you then wish to make a complaint about access to information, you can ask us formally to have our decision reviewed. You should write to us as soon as possible or within two months following the final response of the authority.
• If, after the Internal Review you are still dissatisfied, then you can write to the Information Commissioner, First Contact Team, Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF or go on-line to http://www.ico.gov.uk/complaints

Complained to Cambridgeshire Police Authority but still not satisfied?

For additional guidance, or if having tried to resolve things with us you are still not satisfied with the response you received, you may be able to take the matter further. Whenever you deal with us and you have a right of appeal against a decision we have taken, then we will always let you know.

Here are some useful links for guidance on a variety of concerns and complaints:

• about maladministration by the authority - contact the Local Government Ombusdman at www.lgo.org.uk
• against a member of the authority - contact Standards for England at www.standardsforengland.gov.uk
• about access to information e.g. the Publication Scheme, Freedom of Information, Data Protection etc - contact the Information Commissioner at www.ico.gov.uk
• against the chief police officers - contact the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) at www.ipcc.gov.uk