The IPCC received 296 complaints about the policing of the G20 demonstrations.

Under the Police Reform Act 2002, the IPCC has to forward all eligible complaints to the relevant Police Service for recording. The complainant must consent to this process.

Of the 296 complaints received 84 complaints were not forwarded to the police because either the complainant did not provide their consent or the complaint was about something they had seen on TV or read in a newspaper thus they were not eligible to make a complaint.

212 complaints were forwarded to the Metropolitan Police Service who agreed to coordinate the handling of complaints, as several forces were involved.

It is then the duty of the police to record those complaints, or decide not to record the complaint and explain to the complainant why this decision has been made.

The next stage of the process is for the Police to decide whether or not the complaint meets the threshold to be referred back to the IPCC.

The police are required, by law, to refer certain cases to the IPCC, including incidents of serious assault. However, due to the public confidence issues surrounding the policing of the G20 protests, it was agreed that they would voluntarily refer any allegations of excessive force where the injured party could be identified, regardless of the seriousness of injury.

Using this criteria 83 complaints were referred to the IPCC.

When the IPCC receives a referral, it assesses the case and decides on the appropriate level of investigation. Although few of the cases would have met the threshold either for mandatory referral or supervision, the IPCC decided to supervise all cases of excessive force involving minor injuries where the injured party or officer could be identified.

Of the 83 complaints that were referred to the IPCC:

Six were independently investigated:

1. Independent investigation into the death of Ian Tomlinson – a file was passed to CPS in August 2009 – we await a charging decision. (http://www.ipcc.gov.uk/news/pr04082009_g20update.htm)

2. Investigation following complaint from Mr Tomlinson's family about the way in which MPS and CoL handled media in the days after the death of Ian Tomlinson. This investigation is close to completion. The Tomlinson family has expressed a wish to provide a statement to this investigation and we await receipt of that before it can be finalised.

3. Independent investigation into the case of Nicola Fisher – Sergeant Smellie is currently on trial.

4. Independent investigation into complaint by a 23-year-old woman that she was assaulted on 1 April – this investigation is complete, a file was submitted to the CPS in August 2009 and they decided that there was insufficient evidence to charge.

5. Independent investigation into the case of a woman who alleged she was assaulted while trying to leave the Climate Camp on Bishopsgate on 1 April. That investigation is complete and the IPCC made several recommendations as a result of that. (http://www.ipcc.gov.uk/news/pr060809_bishopsgate.htm)

6. Independent investigation into an allegation of excessive force by an officer against a 23-year-old man from London began in April 2009 but was re-determined after the complainant withdrew his complaint.

62 were supervised investigations

As noted above, specifically for G20 cases, the IPCC decided it would supervise cases which would not usually meet the threshold for IPCC involvement. This is because of the public confidence issues surrounding the policing of the G20 protests. It was agreed that the IPCC would be kept informed of the progress of the investigations at key milestones, which included identifying and interviewing the officer, identifying and interviewing witnesses, obtaining medical evidence and as appropriate, referral to the CPS in a timely manner (noting the statutory time limit of 6 months for common assault), with monthly update meetings with the Directorate of Professional Standards to ensure close monitoring of each case.

Of the complaints which we supervised:

46 were complaints against officers from the MPS

5 were complaint against officers from the CoL

4 were complaint against officers from BTP

3 were complaint against an ACPO ranking officer and therefore dealt with by MPA

2 were complaints against officers from Sussex Police

1 was a complaint against officers from the MPS and CoL

1 was a complaint, but the force that the officers belongs to is unidentified.

For details of these cases, refer to relevant police service.

8 Local investigations

8 were referred back to the appropriate police force to deal with. (for details of outcomes, and of numbers for other local investigation which were not referred to the IPCC, refer police force – MPS, BTP, CoL)

In all supervised and local cases, complainants have a right of appeal to the IPCC if they do not believe the investigation has been completed appropriately. The IPCC has received six appeals – three of which have not been upheld and three are pending assessment.

7 being assessed

The IPCC received a referral from the MPS on 17 March 2010 in relation to 7 further complaints. Those cases are currently being assessed.