Police complaints top 100,000 for the first time in England and Wales, with 'poor service' the biggest grievance
Poor service accounted for 55 per cent of all complaints logged across England and Wales's 43 forces in 2025/26, the steepest year-on-year rise since the current complaints definition took effect.Discrimination featured in 5,061 allegations as police complaints reached a record high, with David Ford of the Independent Office for Police Conduct citing AI as making the system more accessible.
England and Wales's 43 forces recorded 108,897 complaints in the year to March 2026, a 15 per cent jump and the biggest annual rise since current records began. Allegations of poor service made up 55 per cent of the total. The Metropolitan Police attracted the most complaints with 13,920, while Cleveland had the highest rate per employee. David Ford, of the Independent Office for Police Conduct, partly credited AI.
The watchdog's own figures show complaints have soared 61 per cent since 2020-21.
Ford insisted the rise does not 'solely equate to increased dissatisfaction in policing'.
Discrimination claims hit 5,061, including 2,398 alleging race discrimination.
