Comparing objectives of independent police complaints bodies: the cases of France, Germany and the UK

Anja Johansen, Sonja John, Morgane Herault

Research output: Contribution to conferencePaperpeer-review

Abstract

Policing involves multiple non-negotiable situations based on extensive police powers and discretion, which inevitably leads to complaints from citizens. Over the past 25 years, several independent police complaint bodies (IPCBs) have been established in the UK, Germany and France to oversee police handling of complaints or to process complaints without police involvement, based on a variety of objectives. This paper compares these stated objectives in law and directives, formal descriptions of IPCBs, public inquiries, government reports as significantly reflecting core intentions and priorities behind IPCBs in the UK, Germany, and France, and identifies which objectives take priority within each jurisdiction.
The objectives of IPCBs, as conceived by police scholars, fall into four categories: 1) reactive mechanisms to prevent misconduct through sanctions; 2) proactive measures to prevent police misconduct through training and structural change; 3) promotion of public confidence and trust by rooting out malpractice and corruption; and 4) providing justice to victims of police error or misconduct. However, in the literature the order of significance and implications of dissimilar prioritization are rarely addressed. This paper will compare the promotion, marginalization or omission of certain objectives of each IPCB and discuss the consequences of prioritizing certain objectives over others.
Original languageEnglish
Publication statusPublished - 22 Sept 2022
Event22nd Annual Conference of the European Society of Criminology - Malaga, Spain
Duration: 21 Sept 202224 Sept 2022
Conference number: 22
https://www.eurocrim2022.com/

Conference

Conference22nd Annual Conference of the European Society of Criminology
Abbreviated titleEuroCrim 2022
Country/TerritorySpain
CityMalaga
Period21/09/2224/09/22
Internet address

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