§ Mr. Douglas-Mannasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will publish figures showing for the five years before the coming into force of the Police Act 1976 and for each year since, the number of complaints lodged, the number withdrawn and the number found justified, the number resulting in disciplinary proceedings being brought against the officer or officers complained against, and the number of such proceedings which resulted in findings of guilt and similar figures for criminal proceedings against police officers arising from complaints.
§ Mr. WhitelawThe available information, reflecting changes made in 1978 in the basis on which figures are collected, is as follows:
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Table 2—Complaints Against the Police by Outcome England and Wales Number of Cases Received and Complaints Completed †Complaints Completed *Cases Received Total Substantiated Unsubstantiated ‡Withdrawn or not proceeded with 1978 18,769 28,234 1,559 13,720 12,955 1979 16,927 29,383 1,338 14,104 13,941 1980 18,096 31,009 1,288 14,516 15,205 * A case may include one or more individual matters of complaint. † Individual matters of complaint completed in year, irrespective of the year in which received. ‡ The Police Act 1976 and Regulations made under it refer to a complainant indicating in writing that he is withdrawing his complaint or stating that he does not wish further action to be taken on it.
Table 3—Police Officers Convicted of Criminal Offences England and Wales Number of Officers Convictions arising from Complaints by Principal Offence Convictions arising out of other Circumstances by Principal Offence Total Criminal (Other than Traffic) Traffic Total Criminal (Other than Traffic) Traffic 1973 43 N/A N/A 681 N/A N/A 1974 63 N/A N/A 488 N/A N/A 1975 78 N/A N/A 715 N/A N/A 1976 44 N/A N/A 738 N/A N/A 1977 54 N/A N/A 677 N/A N/A 1978 78 41 37 *704 *66 *638 1979 73 28 45 835 99 736 1980 55 28 27 924 93 831 N/A=Not Available. * Excluding Metropolitan Police for which figures are unavailable.
Table 4—Police Officers against whom Disciplinary Charges were Brought and Completed England and Wales Number of Officers Charges arising from Complaint Charges arising out of other Circumstances Total One or more Charges Proved No Charges Proved Total One or more Charges Proved No Charges Proved 1973 186 N/A N/A 614 N/A N/A 1974 189 N/A N/A 458 N/A N/A 1975 248 N/A N/A 615 N/A N/A 1976 182 N/A N/A 563 N/A N/A 1977 205 N/A N/A 549 N/A N/A 1978 135 119 16 514 479 35 1979 140 116 24 555 535 20 1980 156 140 16 533 514 19 N/A= Not Available.