Increase in complaints ‘misleading’, says police

POLICE on Friday described as misleading and wrong, a report by the independent police watchdog that complaints against officers had increased in 2014.

The force said it fully respected the authority but reports of an increase in the number of complaints “give a misleading and false” picture of the matter.

The authority said 212 complaints were filed in 2014 and 99 were subject to criminal and/or disciplinary investigations.

Police said the numbers could not be compared to the previous year since 2014 saw the introduction of a new procedure of filing complaints.

“Considering that, following the instructions of the Attorney-general, administrative investigations are no longer handled by the police, complaints are only filed to the authority resulting in an increased number.”

Out of the 212 complaints, only one resulted in criminal prosecution. Six led to disciplinary measures and one prompted both criminal and disciplinary processes – a very low rate, police said.

And, according to police, bogus reports were also a key parameter of the issue.

“We believe that it is time for the authority, and the state in general, to study the matter and the consequences that should be faced by those making false complaints.”

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.