Arrangements for the handling of complaints and other matters

12. The Panel will receive notification from the Commission, the chief officer of police or a relevant office holder, of any complaint made to any of them that relates to the conduct of a relevant office holder.

13. The Panel will determine if it is the relevant police and crime panel in relation to that relevant officer holder, and if it determines that it is not, it will give notification of the complaint to the panel that is.

14. Where the Panel is notified of a complaint or it has determined that it is the correct police and crime panel in relation to a complaint, the Panel will record the complaint.

15. A complaint will not need to be recorded or notified if the Panel is satisfied that the subject matter of the complaint has been, or is already being dealt with by means of criminal proceedings against the relevant office holder, or the complaint has been withdrawn pursuant to the regulations.

16. If the Panel decides not to give notification of, or record the whole or part of a complaint, the Panel will notify the complainant of that decision (and if that decision relates to any part of the complaint, the part in question), and the grounds on which the decision was made.

17. Where notification has been received that civil proceedings relating to any matter have been brought by a member of the public against a relevant office holder, or where it appears to the Panel that such proceedings are likely to be brought; and it appears to the Panel that those proceedings involve, or would involve a conduct matter, the Panel will:-

• consider if it is the police and crime panel for the relevant office holder and if it decides it is not, it will notify the relevant panel about the proceedings, or the proposal to bring them, and about the circumstances that make it appear that a conduct matter is or will be involved; or
• if the Panel is the relevant police and crime panel, it will record the matter concerned.

18. The Panel will not need to record such a matter if it is satisfied that the matter has already been recorded as a complaint by the Panel, or the matter has been, or is already being dealt with by means of criminal proceedings against the person to whose conduct the matter relates.

19. Where any other conduct matter comes to the Panel's attention, the Panel will record it unless it is satisfied as specified in the preceding paragraph.