Your commissioner Zoë Metcalfe

Your Commissioner Zoë Metcalfe

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Home - Complaints against Councillors

Complaints against Councillors

Our Ref: 28 June 2018 - 264.2018-19

Request

I have been informed that North Yorkshire Police operate a policy / practice only to investigate complaints against Councillors or Council Officers at the formal request of the Council’s Monitoring Officer. 

Is it the case that NYP have, do operate or have operated such a policy / practice? 

If so 

  • This policy/practice removes a citizens right to report potential criminal activity and have it investigated 
  • Gives a council officer a veto over the citizen watchdog checks and balances necessary to prevent crime and corruption and their rights to redress. 
  • Could amount to de-facto collusion between NYP and a council to pervert the course of justice. 
  • Therefore if such a policy/practice is operated I wish to request the following additional information; 
  • What is the justification and rationale for the policy? 
  • Has the policy / practice been approved by the Home Office and has NYP benchmarked similar policy/ practice adopted by other Police forces. 
  • Is the Police and Crime Commissioner aware of the policy/practice? 
  • Who adopted approved the policy / practice and when? 
  • What is the procedure where the complaint is against the Councils Monitoring Officer or person in a position to influence the Monitoring Officer? 
  • What is the procedure for the Monitoring Officer acting corruptly or under coercion? 
  • How do members of the public make complaints that are vetoed by the Monitoring Officer 

Response 

Extent and Result of Searches to Locate Information

To locate the information relevant to your request searches were conducted within the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner.

I wish to advise you there is no information held within the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner to answer your request. This is because there is no such policy within North Yorkshire Police, and therefore the Police and Crime Commissioner cannot be aware of it.