Police Complaints Commissioner

The role of the Police Complaints Commissioner

The Police Complaints Commissioner is appointed under Schedule 1 to the Police Act 1993 by His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor after consultation with the Department of Home Affairs. The role of the Commissioner, which is set out in Schedule 1, is essentially to ensure that complaints made concerning the conduct of officers of the Isle of Man Constabulary ('conduct complaints') are properly considered and, where necessary, result in criminal and/or disciplinary proceedings. For this purpose, the Commissioner has the power, in certain circumstances, to supervise the investigation by a senior police officer of conduct complaints, as well as to refer cases to the Attorney General for consideration for prosecution and to recommend to the Chief Constable that the officer concerned be subject to disciplinary charges.

More details of the process for dealing with conduct complaints can be found below and in the 'Schedule 1 Complaints Process' and the Complaints Process Flowchart, both of which are available in the downloadable documents section of this page.

It must be stressed that the Commissioner does not personally investigate conduct complaints. The investigations are always carried out by a senior police officer, usually from the Isle of Man Constabulary. In certain cases, the investigating officer may be appointed from a UK police force.

The Commissioner is required to produce an annual report to the Department on the performance of their functions. Copies of those reports are available in the downloadable section of this page. The reports set out the numbers of investigations supervised by the Commissioner. The most recent report, for the year to 31 March 2024, provides a wider narrative, including a commentary on how the complaints process works in practice.

Current Police Complaints Commissioner

The current Commissioner is Michelle Norman who was appointed with effect from 1 January 2023.

Miss Norman is a Manx advocate of 30 years call with extensive experience of criminal law and procedure as well as disciplinary and regulatory matters.

How to make a complaint about the conduct of an officer of the Isle of Man Constabulary

A conduct complaint must be made in writing, either by email or by letter. It can be made either by the complainant or by another person on their behalf, provided the complainant has given their written consent to this.

The complaint can be sent to the Commissioner or to the Chief Constable. In practice, the Professional Standards Department of the Isle of Man Constabulary ('the PSD') manages the complaints process on the Chief Constable’s behalf. The police are required to notify the Commissioner of any conduct complaints made to them. Complaints made direct to the Commissioner will usually be forwarded to the Chief Constable.

It is recommended that, wherever possible, complaints are sent by email. If sent to the Commissioner, the email should be cc’d to the PSD unless the complainant does not wish the police to be notified of the complaint at that time or the complaint is about the conduct of the Chief Constable.

If the complaint is about the conduct of the Chief Constable, or Deputy Chief Constable, it should be sent to the Commissioner or to the Department of Home Affairs. The Department then exercises the role of the Chief Constable in relation to the complaint.

What happens next

Complaints are logged by the PSD on receipt and steps taken to secure the available evidence, including CCTV and body worn video camera footage. The Schedule 1 complaints process will then be followed, which may include informal resolution of the complaint or the carrying out of a formal investigation by a senior police officer. If the latter, the Commissioner will be consulted regarding the appointment of the investigating officer.

The Commissioner is required to supervise the investigation of any complaint alleging that the conduct of the officer concerned resulted in the death of, or serious injury to, some other person, or alleging conduct which, if shown to have occurred, would constitute and offence under the Bribery Act 2013. The Commissioner may also supervise the investigation of any other complaint where it appears to them to be desirable in the public interest to do so. If the Commissioner supervises the investigation, they may give directions to the investigating officer as to how it is carried out.

At the conclusion of a supervised investigation, the investigating officer sends their report to the Commissioner, who then makes a statement to the complainant and to the Chief Constable as to whether the investigation was carried out to their satisfaction. The Commissioner will also ensure that any appropriate steps, such as referring the case for prosecution or for disciplinary charges, are taken. If the investigation has not been supervised by the Commissioner, the investigating officer sends their report to the Chief Constable, but a copy is also provided to the Commissioner.

How to make a complaint about any other matter

The process under Schedule 1 applies only in relation to conduct complaints. Any other issues, e.g. requests for the return of property, requests for information/updates on criminal investigations, compensation claims or complaints regarding the conduct of civilian staff employed by the Constabulary, should be raised directly with the PSD. The Commissioner cannot assist with such matters.