HC Deb 05 April 2000 vol 347 cc516-7W
Mr. William Ross

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many RUC officers in each rank have had complaints made against them in each of the last five years and in the current year; for each rank, and year, how many complaints have been(a) dismissed and (b) upheld; and what action has been taken against complainants for (i) frivolous complaints and (ii) wasting police time. [115571]

Mr. Ingram

The following table shows the number of RUC officers by rank against which complaints have been made in the last five years and the number of substantiated and completed complaints. Figures for the current year are not yet available. No action has been taken against anyone making frivolous complaints or wasting police time doing so.

Rank Number of individual officers against whom complaints have been made 1 Substantiated 2 Other completed complaints3 Pending Total
1999
Chief Superintendent 0 0 0 0 0
Superintendent 5 0 7 2 9
Chief Inspector 1 0 1 0 1
Inspector 35 0 39 21 60
Sergeant 155 0 170 128 298
Constable 762 3 774 635 1,412
FT Reserve Constable 278 1 256 251 508
PT Reserve Constable 8 0 6 5 11
Total 1,244 4 1,253 1,042 2,299
1 Where more than one officer is involved in a complaint, the complaint has been recorded against each individual officer.
2 Substantiated figures refer to the year the complaint was registered.
3 Only covers cases where an investigation has been carried out and officers identified. Excludes complaints that have been informally resolved or initially withdrawn.