There is little optimism about the role and powers of the Ombudsman in addressing the perennial problem of police complaints. It is investigated. We interview them. We interview the Police Officer or attempt to. People felt then that the complaint would end by being 'very close to being back in the hands of the person the complaint was about'.
People fear 'further victimisation'.
It is encouraging to think that the complaint was made to the Ombudsman and that he in fact sustained the complaint. The recommendation of the Ombudsman that police involved in investigating complaints be made aware that they should he no more than an interviewee in circumstances where the complaint concerns themselves has been the subject of a Police Instruction. It is still of concern to this Commission that an officer of the seniority of Divisional Officer failed to understand the 'conflict' in that situation. In spite of some adverse comment, the Ombudsman has not been an apologist for the police. The actual status of the Routine Orders is discussed under the heading 'Police view of complaints process' and it is not intended to be further elaborated upon here, save to say that recommendations for changes to Orders, which are really only regarded as Guidelines by the Commissioner of Police, carry no more weight than the Guidelines themselves.