Complaints against police forces in England and Wales reached a record high of 108,897 between April 2025 and March 2026, according to new figures from the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). This marks a 15 per cent increase on the previous year, the biggest year-on-year rise in five years.
In the North East, Northumbria Police received 3,771 complaints during the period, while Durham Constabulary received 1,277. Northumbria Police is the fifth largest force in England and Wales.
Complaints per 1,000 employees
The IOPC figures also break down complaints per 1,000 employees. Northumbria Police recorded 621 complaints per 1,000 employees, the third highest in the country. Cleveland Police recorded 861 per 1,000 employees, the highest in England and Wales.
IOPC Director of Oversight and Casework David Ford said the increase could be due to improvements in how forces record and handle complaints.
“A 15 per cent annual increase is the biggest we’ve seen year-on-year. Looking back on the last five years, we’ve seen a 61 per cent increase in complaints since 2020-21,” Ford said. “However, it’s important not to jump to a conclusion that these figures solely equate to increased dissatisfaction in policing. We know through our oversight work with police forces that many are now better at recording and handling complaints. That in part explains the increase. It’s also simpler than ever before to register a complaint, especially with the assistance of AI which is making the complaints system more accessible for those who may have previously found it challenging to raise their concerns.”
Handling times and national trends
Northumbria Police also ranked third in the country for the average number of days taken to log complaints and contact complainants. The force took an average of 13 days to log a complaint and 17 days to contact complainants. Durham Constabulary took an average of just one day for both.
A spokesman for Northumbria Police attributed the increase to the force recording more matters as complaints than in the past. He said: “Since the changes to the police complaints system and the broader definition of what constitutes a complaint, Northumbria Police has taken a proactive approach to recording all expressions of dissatisfaction that meet the statutory criteria. We see this as a positive indicator of transparency and compliance with national guidance, rather than a measure of poor performance.”
The spokesman added: “A higher volume of recorded complaints also reflects our commitment to ensuring concerns are properly captured, considered and used to improve the service we provide. Over the last year, Northumbria Police has made significant improvements to the timeliness of its complaints handling. The latest IOPC performance data for the first quarter of this financial year shows complaints are now recorded within an average of six days, below the national average, while average contact times with complainants has reduced to 10 days. We continue to drive further improvements in both areas.”
Nationally, 55 per cent of complaints related to allegations of poor service, 22 per cent to police powers and policy, and 11 per cent were accusations against individual officers or staff members. Discriminatory behaviour accounted for three per cent of allegations, with 2,398 relating to race discrimination, 1,116 to disability, and 728 on sex discrimination grounds.
A total of 107,616 complaints were finalised during the reporting year, up 17 per cent on 2024-25, with 70,041 resolved informally by forces and 37,575 dealt with formally under Schedule 3 of the Police Reform Act 2002. Of the cases handled formally, nearly two-thirds had at least one allegation resulting in an explanation, seven per cent resulted in learning for an individual or force, and eight per cent ended with an apology or debrief.
