The Independent Police Complaints Commission (Complaints and Misconduct) (Contractors) Regulations 2015

Duties to preserve evidence relating to complaints

17.—(1) Where—

(a) a complaint is made to the chief officer about the conduct of the contractor; or

(b) the chief officer becomes aware that a complaint about the conduct of the contractor has been made to the Commission or local policing body,

the chief officer shall take all such steps as appear to be appropriate for the purposes of these Regulations for obtaining and preserving evidence relating to the conduct complained of.

(2) The chief officer’s duty under paragraph (1) must be performed as soon as practicable after the complaint is made or, as the case may be, the chief officer becomes aware of it.

(3) After that, the chief officer shall be under a duty, until satisfied that it is no longer necessary to do so, to continue to take the steps which from time to time appear to the chief officer to be appropriate for the purposes of these Regulations for obtaining and preserving evidence relating to the conduct complained of.

(4) It shall be the duty of the chief officer to comply with all such directions as may be given by the Commission in relation to the chief officer’s duty under paragraph (1).

(5) It shall be the duty of the contractor to take all such specific steps for obtaining or preserving evidence relating to any conduct that is the subject-matter of a complaint as the contractor may be directed to take for the purposes of this regulation by the chief officer or by the Commission.