Police complaints in Guernsey rise to 54 in 2025 with increasing conduct concerns
- Police complaints in Guernsey rose to 54 in 2025, up 26 per cent from 43 in 2024
- Complaints about authority, respect and courtesy more than doubled from 13 to 32 cases
- Use of force complaints fell sharply from 19 in 2024 to seven in 2025
- 78 per cent of 2025 complaints resulted in no further action being taken
- No complaints from 2025 were referred to misconduct proceedings
Police complaints in Guernsey increased by more than a quarter in 2025, with 54 complaints recorded against police officers and special constables, according to freedom of information data released by Home Affairs.
The figure represents a 26 per cent rise from the 43 complaints received in 2024 and an 13 per cent increase compared to the 48 complaints recorded in 2023. The data covers complaints made under the Police Complaints (Guernsey) Law, 2008 regarding the conduct of police officers or members of Division B of Special Constabulary.
The most significant increase came in complaints relating to authority, respect and courtesy, which more than doubled from 13 cases in 2024 to 32 in 2025. This category represents the most common type of complaint across the three-year period.
Complaints regarding duties and responsibilities remained relatively stable, with 28 recorded in 2025 compared to 26 in both 2023 and 2024. However, complaints about use of force decreased sharply, falling from 19 in 2024 to just seven in 2025.
Other categories showing increases included orders and instructions, which rose from six complaints in 2024 to eight in 2025, and equality and diversity issues, which increased from three to five complaints over the same period.
The data shows that the majority of complaints resulted in no further action being taken. In 2025, 42 complaints fell into this category, representing 78 per cent of all complaints received that year. This proportion was higher than in previous years, when 66 per cent of 2024 complaints and 67 per cent of 2023 complaints resulted in no further action.
Matters subject to management action or organisational learning totalled 11 in 2025, down from 16 in 2024 and 14 in 2023. No complaints received in 2025 were referred to misconduct proceedings, compared to two referrals in both 2023 and 2024. One matter from 2025 remains ongoing.
Home Affairs noted that complaints are recorded according to the year they were received, not when their outcomes were determined. This means a complaint received in one year may have its outcome applied in a subsequent year.
The data also revealed that individual complaints can involve multiple categories of conduct concern. When a complaint is considered under the Police Complaints legislation, officials assess whether the conduct in question would breach the standards of professional behaviour set out in the legislation. As a result, the total number of categorised concerns exceeds the overall number of complaints received.
Less common categories of complaint included confidentiality, with five cases recorded in 2025, and discreditable conduct, with two cases. No complaints were recorded in 2025 for involvement in inappropriate activities or challenging and reporting improper conduct.
Home Affairs stated that data on the median time taken to conclude a complaint was not readily available. The response to the freedom of information request was provided on 2 October 2026, nearly two months after the request was received on 4 August 2026.
Q&A
Q: How many police complaints were recorded in Guernsey in 2025?
A: 54 complaints were recorded against police officers and members of Division B of Special Constabulary in 2025, up from 43 in 2024 and 48 in 2023.
Q: What was the most common type of complaint in 2025?
A: Authority, respect and courtesy was the most common complaint category, with 32 cases recorded in 2025, more than double the 13 cases in 2024.
Q: What proportion of complaints resulted in no further action?
A: In 2025, 78 per cent of complaints resulted in no further action being taken, higher than the 66 per cent in 2024 and 67 per cent in 2023.
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