Dispensation from requirement to investigate complaints
4.—(1) Any request made pursuant to regulation 3(1) shall be made in writing and shall be accompanied by—
(a)a copy of the complaint;
(b)a memorandum from the appropriate authority explaining the reasons for making the request;
(c)where the appropriate authority is of the opinion that a complaint is a repetitious complaint and, as respects the previous complaint, the person then the complainant gave such notification as is mentioned in regulation 11 of the Police (Complaints) (General) Regulations 1985(1), a copy of that notification unless it has previously been sent to the Authority; and
(d)where the appropriate authority is of the opinion that a complaint is a repetitious complaint and the previous complaint has been informally resolved in accordance with the provisions of section 83 of the Police Act 1997, a copy of the record of the outcome of the informal resolution procedure made under regulation 3 of the Police (Complaints) (Informal Resolution) Regulations 1985(2).
(2) If, after considering a request under this regulation, the Authority consider it appropriate, they may dispense with the requirements of Chapter 1 of Part 4 of the 1996 Act (to the extent that they have not already been satisfied) but they shall not reject such a request except after consultation with the appropriate authority.
(3) The Authority shall, as soon as may be practicable, notify the appropriate authority, in writing, of their decision on such a request and, where they dispense with the requirements of Chapter 1 of Part 4 of the 1996 Act (to the extent that they have not already been satisfied), shall inform the complainant of their action unless the complainant is an anonymous one or it otherwise appears to them to be not reasonably practicable so to inform him within a period which is reasonable in all the circumstances of the case.