Responses to the super-complaint report on the police response to stalking
Source: gov.uk (2025-08-01)

Responses to recommendations in the report on the super-complaint submitted by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, on behalf of the National Stalking Consortium about the police response to stalking.

In September 2024, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) and the College of Policing published a report in response to the super-complaint regarding the police response to stalking. This super-complaint was submitted by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust on behalf of the National Stalking Consortium.

The super-complaint investigation report includes recommendations to chief constables, police and crime commissioners and mayor equivalents, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), the Home Office (HO) and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). The details of these recommendations are listed in the final section (https://hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/publication-html/police-response-to-stalking/#List_of_recommendations_and_actions) of the report. The documents above are letters of response to the recommendations from the NPCC, and the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC), the CPS, and a government response to the recommendations made to the MoJ and HO.

Individual police forces also published action plans, in response to the recommendations, on their own websites. Links to the individual force action plans are included in the NPCC response above.

Police forces were asked to provide an update on progress against their action plans to the NPCC after six months. The NPCC has submitted an update report summarising these responses. It sets out the progress reported by forces and the areas where the NPCC considers that further work may be required to continue to improve the service provided to victims. This update report is included in the documents above.

While improvement work continues, the publication of the NPCC update report marks the end of the super-complaint investigation process.

The IOPC, College of Policing and HMICFRS remain committed to supporting policing to continue to improve its response to victims of stalking. This includes through actions the IOPC and the College of Policing agreed to deliver in the super-complaint investigation report.

An update on these actions is provided below.

College of Policing (https://www.college.police.uk/)

Action one:

The College of Policing will develop its authorised professional practice (APP) on stalking or harassment. The update will take into consideration the learning from this super-complaint including learning on identifying stalking and distinguishing it from harassment, identifying and assessing risk, victim safeguarding and care and multi‑agency working. This development work will begin during the 2024/25 financial year.

Update – 1 August 2025:

Work to develop the APP on stalking or harassment has begun. The College has agreed a scope for this work that aligns with the commitment set out in this action. The College has assessed the material in its existing stalking or harassment advice, the findings of the super-complaint investigation and other relevant material. It has begun drafting the new APP content, working closely with stakeholders, including the Suzy Lamplugh Trust. The College will consult publicly before finalising the APP and hopes to consult in Winter 2025.

IOPC (https://www.policeconduct.gov.uk/)

Action 2:

This action is for the IOPC to provide advice to its staff and police professional standards departments about recognising and responding to police perpetrated stalking behaviours, particularly where these are present in cases involving police abuse of position. The IOPC has committed to completing this action by 27 March 2025.

Update – 1 August 2025:

The IOPC has published a special violence against women and girls edition of Focus (https://www.policeconduct.gov.uk/publications/focus-issue-23-violence-against-women-and-girls) (its advice publication for police professional standards departments). This included advice to police about recognising and responding to police perpetrated stalking behaviours. The IOPC has also developed guidance for its own staff on stalking crimes, including advice to help them recognise and respond to possible police perpetrated stalking behaviours in the cases the IOPC deals with.

Return to main report

Super-complaint on the police response to stalking (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/super-complaint-on-the-police-response-to-stalking)