Responses to the super-complaint report on the police response to stalking
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.
Applies to England and Wales
Documents
Details
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 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.
Please note: We have asked police forces to publish their responses to the recommendations on their own websites. Links to the individual force responses are included in the NPCC response above.
The super-complaint investigation report also includes actions for the IOPC and the College of Policing. An update on these actions is provided below.
College of Policing
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:
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 is currently assessing the material in our existing stalking or harassment advice, the findings of the super-complaint investigation and other relevant material to inform the draft APP.
The College is committed to working closely with stakeholders within and beyond policing as we carry out this work, including the Suzy Lamplugh Trust. The College also intends to consult publicly on a draft of the updated APP before finalising it. The feedback we receive through consultation will inform the final product. This consultation exercise is expected to take place in Spring 2025.
IOPC
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 – 22 November 2024:
The IOPC produces a publication called Focus, which gives police professional standards departments practical guidance on dealing with complaints, conduct matters, and death or serious injury cases. In Spring 2025, the IOPC plans to publish a special edition of Focus which will provide advice for police on responding to complaints and conduct matters relating to violence against women and girls. The IOPC will use this publication to provide advice to police about recognising and responding to police perpetrated stalking behaviours.
The IOPC has also started work to identify and make required changes to the guidance it provides its own staff to help them recognise and respond to possible police perpetrated stalking behaviours in the cases the IOPC deals with.