Complaints – Sussex Police and Crime Panel

By law, the Panel has no role in operational policing matters.

If you wish to report a crime, please refer to the Sussex Police ‘Contact us‘ web page for more details. However, if the crime is happening now, or someone is in immediate danger, call 999 immediately.
If you wish to complain or feedback about a Sussex Police officer or member of staff, please refer to Sussex Police complaints web page for more details.

Complaints against Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner

The Sussex Police and Crime Panel has a duty to receive and initially consider complaints against the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner, and the Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner, where the Commissioner has chosen to appoint one.

Complaints can be submitted either by email or post. An officer of West Sussex County Council will contact you to acknowledge receipt of your complaint and inform you of how it is planned to take it forward.

To make a complaint about Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner, please contact us.

In respect of complaints, the Chairman may have cause to write to the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner, seeking their view on issues raised by complainants. Such correspondence will be published within the document below.

Reviews or policing complaints

Under the Police (Complaints and Misconduct) Regulations 2020, the Commissioner has responsibility for carrying out reviews, where they are the relevant review body for low-level complaints against Sussex Police (known as ‘Schedule 3 Complaints – Otherwise by Investigation’ under the Police Reform Act 2002).

The Police and Crime Panel does not have the power to examine the decisions reached by the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) and/or their office in respect of such reviews, and is not the correct body of recourse to challenge such decisions made the PCC and/or their office. Such decisions can be subject to judicial review.