Civil actions against the police
If you have been a victim of police misconduct, harassment or have been mistreated by the police whilst in police custody, you could be entitled to compensation. You do not have to accept poor police conduct, if your civil liberties or human rights have been infringed, HNK Solicitors can pursue your action against the police claim for you.
We have a team of experienced and dedicated Civil Actions Against the Police and civil liberties solicitors with specialist knowledge in this area, who can help provide advice and support with your police complaint and police claim. We want to ensure you get the outcome you desire, whether this is a formal apology, disciplinary action against the officer(s) involved or compensation for your mistreatment.
We understand this process can be challenging and emotionally demanding but our expert civil actions against the police solicitors will guide you through the process. We represent clients throughout England and Wales in a wide variety of police conduct cases.
Examples of police misconduct:
There are many different types of police misconduct which you can make an civil action against the police claim against, including:
Assault and battery
Negligence
Breach of human rights (e.g. unlawful strip search/trespass to your home)
Trespass to property
Misfeasance in public office (abuse of power by the police)
Discrimination under the equality act (e.g. racial, sexual, etc.)
Retention/misuse of personal information such as DNA and finger-prints
Disclosure and Barring service complaints
Judicial Review
How do I claim?
Step 1
Get in contact by using one of our contact forms throughout the site.
Step 2
We will arrange a free consultation with you to discuss your civil actions against the police claim.
Step 3
If you have a valid claim, we will accept your case on a No Win No Fee basis.
Step 4
HNK Client Successful in £28,000 Sexual Misconduct and Misfeasance Case Against The Chief Constable of Sussex Police
Civil actions against the police solicitors
Seeking legal advice and representation is crucial when making an action against the police claim. This is because these claims can be complex and are highly contested by the police, so it can be difficult to make a successful claim without the support of an expert action against the police solicitor.
HNK Solicitors team of specialist actions against the police solicitors has a proven track record of success in supporting clients who want to take action against the police. We have helped clients all over England and Wales secure significant compensation for the police misconduct or mistreatment they have suffered. Read our case studies to find out more about some of our recent successful claims.
How do I make a civil actions against the police claim?
You need to make a complaint to the police force you are complaining about within one year of the incident. Ideally, this should be a written statement with your full name, address and contact information as well as details of the allegation and complaints you are making. The police complaint process can be quite complex so it is beneficial to instruct a specialist solicitor on police conduct. Consult HNK before you make your police complaint and we can review it for you. The purpose of the complaint is to have the particular officer investigated for the complaint that was made.
The force then allocates your complaints to an officer or to the professional standards department to investigate it. It will then be dealt within one of two ways. Local resolution is used in less serious complaints and Local Investigation is used for more serious police complaints where a complaint needs to be investigated further. If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the investigation you are given 28 days to appeal the decision.
The civil action against the police is conducted with the purpose of obtaining compensation for mistreatment and/or an admission of liability. Actions against the police are often highly defended so it is highly advised you have an experienced legal team, such as ourselves, to help fight your case for you, if you want a successful outcome.
HNK Solicitors can help you with your civil action against the police claim
Our actions against the police and civil liberties solicitors have fought many cases throughout the country and are recognised as leaders in the field of human rights law and actions against the police.
We are proud to offer a no-win, no-fee service, depending on the facts of your case and an initial assessment. This means you won’t have to pay a penny upfront. We also routinely act under private funding and legal expenses policies. Contact us today to find out more.
Free Consultation
Contact us today to arrange a free no-obligation discussion about your police complaint or civil action against the police.
No-Win-No-Fee
Dependent on the details of your case we can offer a no-win-no-fee service, so it won’t cost you a penny to begin the process of making your civil action against the police claim.
Get The Outcome You Desire
Our expert lawyers will fight the police claim on your behalf, to get the outcome you desire.
FAQs
Our AAP department deals with cases where there have been allegations of Police Misconduct.
We have helped clients who have suffered a range of issues, such as:
- Wrongful Arrest and imprisonment
- Wrongful stop and search
- Discrimination
- Malicious Prosecution
- Assault and Battery
- Trespass to property
- Human Rights breaches
- Data protection breaches
- Seizure of property
We try our best to help anyone who has encountered a problem with the Police. We regularly accept instructions from clients nationwide. Despite our office being based in Liverpool, we can represent clients all over England and Wales. We can deal with matters by way of telephone, letter, and email.
We also have a facility so that our clients can sign documentation electronically to not only speed the process of progressing your case but helping us do our bit for the environment too!
In this country, as long as you do not have a civil restraint order, you can issue Court proceedings, however, actions against the police are highly contentious. In our view, the litigation process can be complex for the layperson, so we urge anyone who is wanting to take the police to court to seek legal advice before doing so.
Further, it would be imperative to understand the litigation process and the law to ensure you have the best chance of success.
If you have suffered an injustice or misconduct by the Police, it is important to act quickly so all relevant footage can be retained. If you instruct us, our specialist team will ensure a request is made for all footage and ensure the police force do everything reasonable to help secure the same.
A police complaint is different from a police claim, as the complaint deals with the standards of professional behaviour and whether the officer has breached the same. If the officer is found to be in breach, then sanctions may be imposed against the officer, such as dismissal, suspension, restricted duties or a warning. The complaints process can also refer the officer to the Crown Prosecution Service.
Unfortunately, in our experience, officers are rarely sanctioned, and the complaints procedure is not always fit for purpose. A police claim, on the other hand, deals solely with compensation following police misconduct. Unlike a complaint, a civil claim is pursed through the Court system and if successful, can result in damages and legal costs being paid by the Defendant police force.
Initial complaints need to be made to the relevant police force within one year of the incident. A claim for personal injury damages needs to be made within three years of the incident. Other aspects of your claim such as matters arising under the Human Rights Act must be made within one year.
For discrimination complaints, a complaint must be made within six months of the incident. In other areas such as malicious prosecution, false imprisonment and misfeasance in public office, a claim must be made within six years.
Let us know what you’re looking for and we will get back to you as soon as we can