§ Mr. Proctorasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers and ranks are employed (a) full-time and (b) part-time in investigating complaints made against the police and internal discipline; and at what cost in each case.
§ Mr. HurdThe information is not available in the form requested. The number of officers employed full-time in discipline and complaints departments of police forces in England and Wales at 31 December 1982 was as follows:
Provincial forces Metropolitan Police Total Deputy Assistant Commissioner — 1 1 Commander — 1 1 Chief Superintendent 13 7 20 Superintendent 92 28 120 Chief Inspector 10 54 64 Inspector 123 7 130 Sergeant 21 91 112 Police Constable 8 2 10 Total 267 191 458 In addition, a significant number of complaints are investigated by officers at divisional level, in addition to their normal duties; and the most senior officers, especially at the level of deputy chief constable, also spend a substantial proportion of their time dealing with complaints and discipline.
Precise figures for the cost of investigations are not available.