Complaints into failure to record police complaints

Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request ref: 01/FOI/25/007651/U

Version Date: 20/02/2025

The Professional Standards Department have provided the following information.

Please note, Devon & Cornwall Police may be able to give more information if more context were provided with the request.

It is illegal for police forces to fail to record complaints under the Police Reform Act 2002 if the complainant expresses a wish that this should be done.

On average UK police record 18% of complaints for this reason.  The figure for D&C Police is 1%.

On several measures D&C police are one of the worst performing forces in the country.

Please supply the total number of complaints you have received in 2024 and 2025 that satisfy all the following criteria

1) Complain that you are failing to record complaints under the Police Reform Act 2002 when requested to by the complainant

No Information held.

As per statutory regulation (Police Reform Act 2002), if a complainant requests their complaint is recorded inside schedule 3 it is recorded within schedule 3. Therefore we do not hold the requested data as no mechanism for recording.

2) The complainant has requested the complaint to be recorded under the Police Reform Act 2002

2024 – 874

2025 – 74 (from 01/01/2025 – 31/01/2025).

3) You have failed to record the complaint under the Police Reform Act 2002

Please see answer to question 2.