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I've put this here as it is not really connected with a specific law.

If you write to the chief prosecuter in your local area with a complaint, is there a time limit within which he/she should
at least acknowledge your letter?

According to the PNLD website website it says that you should get a reply with in 3 days if they can
resolve your complaint and with in 10 days if they can't.
https://www.askthe.police.uk/content/Q202.htm?




If you write to the chief constable in your local area with a complaint or query, is there a time limit within which he/she should
at least acknowledge your letter?


What are your experiences of this?

Generally speaking we have always received some form of response, if only a holding reply, within 7 days of raising anything with our Chief Constable

We have a continuing matter we have asked the Chief Constable to investigate which was raised in June 2009 and agsin we have received updates on progress roughly on a monthly basis.

Different Constabularies may differ in their policies - I'm not sure if there is a National Policy in such matters.

Thanks Fin

You need to start charging £1.00 an answer - I'd certainly owe you a few by now

Well.......

14 days have past and not heard a thing from either Chief Constables from the two forces involved.

I feel a 2nd letter coming on.

My MP has written many times now to the police,over the past 18 months, at times their response has been 3 months before we recieved any reply,at one point there was a 4 months gap.

Recently she has also written to the CPS and recieved a reply within 4 days to say they were dealing with the matter, however MPs have to give 4 weeks before chacing up any letters,that is the norm.

Each time i mail my MP she states the police and the CPS are among the worst for delays to reply out of all the agencies they deal with.unfortunatly there deosnt seem to be a great deal they can do about it.

I intend to take the matter up with the chief constable once i have the initial issue sorted out,which could be some conciderable time.

Makes me laugh because they are quick enough to come after us if they want something.

Where legal disputes are at issue, almost everyone would get more use out of the A4 sheet by making it into a paper airplane, rather than writing a letter to an MP on it.

To be fair, Mark's MP has been remarkably pro-active in helping him. His complaint is not with the MP but the time it is taking for the police and CPS to respond to the MP's letters.

Yes i fuly agree here RF, my MP has been maginficent and supported me all the way, her replies to me have been exceptionaly fast and she has informed me very quickly of any news.

There are many MPs like her also supporting people from PAFAA, so i would have to disagree that MPs are to blame for hold ups, it is the police/CPS. at fault.

Well I heard from both the CPS and my Local Police today by letter.

One was an unreserved apoligy and the other was a 'fob off' letter "thank you for your letter to the Chief Constable, your letter has been noted and passed on to ******** who should contact you in due course"

Lets hope you get somewhere with this now mate, seems we are in a simlar position.
Patience is what we have to learn to accept, and things will im sure (given the right path) turn around.

Just a holding reply. If you haven't heard in about 4 weeks, send another letter.

"Further to my correspondence of .......(date) and your response of .......(date) I have yet to be contacted by *********. I will be grateful if you would advise me of the current progress in this matter by return.

Thank you for your assistance"

If you still don't hear, write again. I have a theory that a squeaky wheel eventually gets oil. Besides, in any action your solicitor takes, it provides substance that you have courteously contacted the police on numerous occasions seeking to provide an opportunity for them to express their view on the matter, that they have promised to reply, but have not done so.

Patience is a vertue that I am having to learn - does not come easy though

I certainly FULLY understand what your saying mate, the frustration is appaling.