Police Complaints Board
Encyclopedia
The Police Complaints Board (PCB) was the British government organisation tasked with overseeing the system for handling complaints made against police
forces in England
and Wales
from 1 June 1977 until it was replaced by the Police Complaints Authority
on 29 April 1985.
Like its replacement, the Police Complaints Authority, and the current Independent Police Complaints Commission
, the Police Complaints Board was completely independent of the British Police.
could refer a serious complaint to another police force for investigation under a mechanism set out in Section 49 of the Police Act 1964
. The investigating force would forward a report to the Director of Public Prosecutions
(DPP), who could decide to prosecute the offending policemen.
Following a series of scandals involving the Metropolitan Police
in the mid 1970s, and criticism of a perceived lack of independence in the existing process, The Police Complaints Board was created by the Police (Complaints) Act 1976.
of the force against whom the complaint had been made to take disciplinary proceedings against the offending police officers.
The PCB did not cover Northern Ireland
, which was the responsibility of a separate body, the Police Complaints Board for Northern Ireland also set up under the Police Act 1976. Nor did it cover Scotland, which retained the mechanism set up by the Police (Scotland) Act 1967.
. The 1981 Brixton
riots, and the Scarman report
on it which investigated, amongst other things, allegations of racism
against the police led to further pressure to reform the PCB.
The result was that the board was abolished and replaced by the Police Complaints Authority in the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) of 1984. A significant change was that the PCA was given extra powers allowing it to supervise police investigations into complaints, which has been taken further in its successor, the Independent Police Complaints Commission
which replaced it on 1 April 2004 and which has the ability to carry out its own independent investigations.
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
forces in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
from 1 June 1977 until it was replaced by the Police Complaints Authority
Police Complaints Authority
The Police Complaints Authority , was an independent body in the United Kingdom with the power to investigate public complaints against the Police in England and Wales as well as related matters of public concern...
on 29 April 1985.
Like its replacement, the Police Complaints Authority, and the current Independent Police Complaints Commission
Independent Police Complaints Commission
The Independent Police Complaints Commission is a non-departmental public body in England and Wales responsible for overseeing the system for handling complaints made against police forces in England and Wales.-Role:...
, the Police Complaints Board was completely independent of the British Police.
Creation
Until the creation of the PCB in June 1977, complaints against police officers were handled directly by the forces concerned, although the Home SecretaryHome Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
could refer a serious complaint to another police force for investigation under a mechanism set out in Section 49 of the Police Act 1964
Police Act 1964
The Police Act 1964 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that updated the legislation governing police forces in England and Wales, constituted new police authorities, gave the Home Secretary new powers to supervise local constabularies, and allowed for the amalgamation of existing...
. The investigating force would forward a report to the Director of Public Prosecutions
Director of Public Prosecutions
The Director of Public Prosecutions is the officer charged with the prosecution of criminal offences in several criminal jurisdictions around the world...
(DPP), who could decide to prosecute the offending policemen.
Following a series of scandals involving the Metropolitan Police
Metropolitan police
Metropolitan Police is a generic title for the municipal police force for a major metropolitan area, and it may be part of the official title of the force...
in the mid 1970s, and criticism of a perceived lack of independence in the existing process, The Police Complaints Board was created by the Police (Complaints) Act 1976.
Powers
The new board could scrutinise a report produced by an investigating force and satisfy itself that justice had been done, or instruct the Chief ConstableChief Constable
Chief constable is the rank used by the chief police officer of every territorial police force in the United Kingdom except for the City of London Police and the Metropolitan Police, as well as the chief officers of the three 'special' national police forces, the British Transport Police, Ministry...
of the force against whom the complaint had been made to take disciplinary proceedings against the offending police officers.
The PCB did not cover Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, which was the responsibility of a separate body, the Police Complaints Board for Northern Ireland also set up under the Police Act 1976. Nor did it cover Scotland, which retained the mechanism set up by the Police (Scotland) Act 1967.
Criticism and Reform
The power of the board to reverse a decision not to prosecute an officer caused resentment within the police community since it exposed policemen who had been exonerated by the DPP to double jeopardyDouble jeopardy
Double jeopardy is a procedural defense that forbids a defendant from being tried again on the same, or similar charges following a legitimate acquittal or conviction...
. The 1981 Brixton
Brixton
Brixton is a district in the London Borough of Lambeth in south London, England. It is south south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
riots, and the Scarman report
Scarman report
The Scarman report was commissioned by the UK Government following the 1981 Brixton riots. Lord Scarman was appointed by then Home Secretary William Whitelaw on 14 April 1981 to hold the enquiry into the riots...
on it which investigated, amongst other things, allegations of racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
against the police led to further pressure to reform the PCB.
The result was that the board was abolished and replaced by the Police Complaints Authority in the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) of 1984. A significant change was that the PCA was given extra powers allowing it to supervise police investigations into complaints, which has been taken further in its successor, the Independent Police Complaints Commission
Independent Police Complaints Commission
The Independent Police Complaints Commission is a non-departmental public body in England and Wales responsible for overseeing the system for handling complaints made against police forces in England and Wales.-Role:...
which replaced it on 1 April 2004 and which has the ability to carry out its own independent investigations.