Police told you bailiff crime is a civil matter

Making a complaint against police officers

If the behaviour of a police officer at the scene of a bailiff was inappropriate and unprofessional, then you have a right to make a formal complaint to a Clerk to the Justices at a magistrates' court for the question of reporting the officer for the offence of corruption.

The law is Section 26 of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015.

You can also make a civil claim for damages.

It is the practice of many police forces to dismiss complaints of bailiff crime knowing it exposes the police force to a claim for damages and for the recovery of unlawful loss that takes place following police inaction while presiding over a crime committed by a bailiff.

Examples of police malfeasance can include any of the following:

Unwilling to listen to you even though you believed what the bailiff was doing is un-lawful

You were threatened with arrest for obstruction if you "continued to remonstrate"

You asked to see the bailiff's certificate or warrant but was told by the officers to "stop stalling and time wasting"

They made you feel intimidated and like a criminal

Caused you or another person and extreme amount of stress and since has had trouble sleeping (consider a separate claim under the personal injury protocol).

They were totally in support of the bailiff without even checking if what he was doing was lawful

Caused you a great embarrassment with your neighbours

The officer was rude and displayed aggressive behaviour towards you

Failed to prevent a crime that was committed in the police officer's presence

You want a written apology and claim damages from the police force

Make a claim for damages from the police.

If you were accused of breach of the peace because you refused to concede to an illegal demand (bailiffs fees on a court fine you have already paid) or refused to open your door to a bailiff then you can sue the police force for damages.

Make a complaint if you are falsely accused of committing breach of the peace.

If you are fobbed off with excuses then here is how to make a complaint to the IOPC or you can sue the chief constable of the police force my making a claim in the small claims court using a Form N1 using the grounds in the above template.

Do be aware that making a complaint against police, they know how to close ranks as demonstrated by the Ian Tomlinson coverup. Mr. Tomlinson died after being struck by PC Simon Harwood and the police coverup to protect the officer was blown wide open when a bystander produced video evidence to a newspaper.

If you reported a bailiff to the police and the police told you the crime is a civil matter then you can make a formal complaint

If you are fobbed off with excuses, complain to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Note: Complaints to the IOPC involving an incident with a bailiff or civil enforcement will most likely come to nothing. You may well get into a long and protracted volley of correspondence because this is precisely what their administrative staff are trained to do. This policy is called attrition correspondence - designed to wear down the complainant in the hope they eventually give up the complaint.

You would be best collate the damages caused by police negligence or misconduct and file a claim against the police force using a Form N1 and make a claim in the small claims court.

You can ask for a free initial consultation with a solicitor that specialises in claims against the police. Be sure to keep your initial correspondence brief and factual and show them your original complaint letter you made from the first template above as this contains all the necessary law and case precedents your complaint relies on.