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<p>The Home Office is unable to refer matters to the Independent Police Complaints
Commission (IPCC) and cannot comment on individual cases which are a matter for individual
forces.</p><p>Schedule 3 to the Police Reform Act 2002 places a duty on the appropriate
authority to refer a matter to the IPCC under certain prescribed circumstances. The
appropriate authority would usually be the chief constable or, where the complaint
or conduct matter relates to a chief officer, the local policing body for the force
in question.</p><p>The appropriate authority may also refer a complaint to the IPCC
if it considers it appropriate to do so because of the gravity of the subject-matter
or there are any exceptional circumstances involved. Where the appropriate authority
is the chief constable and a case is not referred, the local policing body for the
force may refer the matter to the Commission on the same grounds. The IPCC can, at
any time, require the appropriate authority to refer a matter to it for consideration.</p><p>As
part of the measures to strengthen the powers of the IPCC in the forthcoming Policing
and Crime Bill, the IPCC will in future have the power to investigate allegations
of police misconduct, death or serious injury and complaints against the police without
first awaiting or requiring a referral from a force.</p>
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