The Office publishes an annual Statistical Bulletin which gives details of complaints and allegations received in Northern Ireland.
The latest annual bulletin relates to the 2025/26 year.
Main Findings
- The number of complaints received by the Police Ombudsman’s Office during 2025/26 decreased by 2% from the previous year. This is also the lowest number of complaints received by the Office in the last four years.
- Criminal Investigation was the most common situation which gave rise to complaints, as it was in each of the last five years.
- Complaints have increased in four of the 11 police districts and have decreased in seven of the 11 police districts. The largest proportional increase was in Derry City and Strabane (H District) where the number of complaints increased by 18%. While, the largest proportional decrease was in Fermanagh and Omagh (G District) where complaints decreased by 40%.
- The most frequent allegations received during the year were allegations of Failure in Duty, of Oppressive Behaviour, and of Incivility.
- Just over two fifths (43%) of complaints dealt with by the Police Ombudsman’s Office were subject to a full investigation. In 15% of these complaints, the Office found evidence to substantiate all or part of the complaint or identified another concern during the investigation.
- On 12 occasions during the year, the Police Ombudsman recommended that the Director of Public Prosecutions should prosecute an officer.
- The Police Ombudsman recommended on 196 occasions that a police officer should receive a discipline or a performance action.
We have also published an Excel Spreadsheet to accompany this Statistical Bulletin.
The next Statistical Bulletin will be published in June 2027.
Previous reports are available on our publications page at the following link:
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