HC Deb 20 March 1986 vol 94 cc273-4W
39. Mr. Canavan

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of complaints against the police have resulted in prosecution in each of the past 10 years.

Mr. Giles Shaw

The available information gives the number of prosecutions brought each year against police officers as a result of complaints from members of the public, but does not indicate the year in which each complaint was made. The following table shows that number as a proportion of all complaints cases completed in the corresponding year. Withdrawn complaints have been excluded. Comparable information is not available for the years prior to 1978.

Year Per cent.
1978 *l.3
1979 0.7
1980 0.5
1981 0.4
1982 0.3
1983 0.3
1984 0.2
* In 1978 there was an abnormally high number of traffic prosecutions brought against Metropolitan officers as a result of complaints.