Dealing with the Police

• 01. Introduction

• If you have a complaint about the way that the police have treated you (or someone else), there are things you can do about it. This leaflet explains your rights, and the different types of action you can take....

• 02. If you have a problem with the police

• Most people know that the police have powers they can use against you if they think you have committed a crime or are about to commit a crime. But the police should treat you with courtesy and respect. If a police officer treats you badly or unfairly - or,...

• 03. If you are stopped and searched

• The police have powers to stop and search you in many situations. The rules on when they can do so, and how long they can stop you for, are complicated. See ' When a search becomes an assault ' for an explanation of the...

• 04. Your options for taking action

• You can take different types of action. What you can do will depend on: what happened to you; and what you want done about it. What you want can include: an apology; compensation; and making sure that you, or someone else, isn't treated in...

• 05. Suing the police

• If you want to sue someone, you can do so only for certain reasons - what lawyers call 'causes of action'. When you sue someone, you have to show that what happened to you fits into one of these causes of action. For example, if a police officer carried...

• 06. How to sue the police

• If you have read about the 'causes of action' and you think you have a reason to sue the police, there are several other things you need to know before you can consider taking legal action. You should try to start a claim as quickly as you can, while...

• 07. Making a complaint against a police officer

• The system for making complaints against the police has changed recently. A new organisation, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), now oversees complaints against police officers. It took over from the Police Complaints Authority on 1 April...

• 08. How to make a complaint

• You should make a complaint within one year of the incident you are complaining about. If it is later than a year, the IPCC or the police force you complain to may not look at your complaint unless you have a good reason for the delay. Many people make...

• 09. The result of your complaint

• At the end of all the investigations, the police or the IPCC write a report about it. They will send you the report, although this might not be straight away if sending it to you would interfere with any prosecution or disciplinary action against the officer...

• 10. Further Help

• Independent Police Complaints Commission phone: 08453 002 002 The website of the Independent Police Complaints Commission Liberty For general information on the Human Rights Act, see the Liberty guide "Your...