{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/police-public-order-and-criminal-justice-scotland-act-2006/section-34",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/police-public-order-and-criminal-justice-scotland-act-2006/section-34.json",
  "legislation": "asp/2006/10",
  "legislation_title": "Police, Public Order and Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2006",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/police-public-order-and-criminal-justice-scotland-act-2006",
  "path": "section/34",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "34",
  "heading": "Meaning of “relevant complaint”",
  "text": "(1) In this Chapter, “relevant complaint” means a complaint which is made, given or sent by any of the persons mentioned in subsection (6) to the appropriate authority in relation to the complaint.\n(2) In subsection (1), “complaint” means a statement (whether oral, written or electronic) expressing dissatisfaction about an act or omission—\n(a) by the Authority;\n(b) by the Police Service; or\n(f) by a person who, at the time of the act or omission, was a person serving with the police.\n(2A) A “complaint” may relate to—\n(a) any action taken, or failed to be taken, by or on behalf of the subject of the complaint;\n(b) the standard of any service which the subject of the complaint has provided or failed to provide.\n(3) But “ complaint ” does not include—\n(a) any statement made by a person serving with, or who has served with, the police, about the terms and conditions of that person's service with the police; or\n(aa) any statement made by a person serving with the police about an act or omission mentioned in subsection (3A);\n(b) a statement which consists of or includes an allegation of an act or omission which constitutes a crime.\n(3A) An act or omission referred to in subsection (3)(aa) is one which—\n(a) took place in relation to, or adversely affected, the person in the person’s capacity as a person serving with the police, or\n(b) was witnessed by the person (whether or not in that capacity).\n(4) An act or omission need not be one occurring in the course of a person's duty, employment or appointment (as the case may be) in order to fall within subsection (2)(f).\n(5) A complaint need not identify a person serving with the police who is the subject of the complaint in order to fall within subsection (2)(f).\n(6) The persons referred to in subsection (1) are—\n(a) a person who claims to be the person in relation to whom the act or omission took place;\n(b) a person not falling within paragraph (a) who claims to have been adversely affected by the act or omission;\n(c) a person who claims to have witnessed the act or omission;\n(d) a person acting on behalf of a person falling within any of paragraphs (a) to (c).\n( 7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .",
  "extent": "S",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Word in s. 34(1) inserted (1.4.2013) by Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 (asp 8), s. 129(2), Sch. 7 para. 33(2)(a); S.S.I. 2013/51, art. 2 (with transitional provisions and savings in S.S.I. 2013/121, arts. 1(1), 11)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in s. 34(2) substituted (1.4.2013) by Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 (asp 8), s. 129(2), Sch. 7 para. 33(2)(b)(i); S.S.I. 2013/51, art. 2 (with transitional provisions and savings in S.S.I. 2013/121, arts. 1(1), 11)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "S. 34(2)(a)(b) substituted for s. 34(2)(a)-(e) (1.4.2013) by Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 (asp 8), s. 129(2), Sch. 7 para. 33(2)(b)(ii); S.S.I. 2013/51, art. 2 (with transitional provisions and savings in S.S.I. 2013/121, arts. 1(1), 11)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "S. 34(2A) inserted (1.4.2013) by Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 (asp 8), s. 129(2), Sch. 7 para. 33(2)(c); S.S.I. 2013/51 , art. 2 (with transitional provisions and savings in S.S.I. 2013/121, arts. 1(1), 11)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "S. 34(3)(aa) inserted (25.6.2025) by Police (Ethics, Conduct and Scrutiny) (Scotland) Act 2025 (asp 5), ss. 13(1)(a), 22(2); S.S.I. 2025/175, reg. 2(k)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "S. 34(3A) inserted (25.6.2025) by Police (Ethics, Conduct and Scrutiny) (Scotland) Act 2025 (asp 5), ss. 13(1)(b), 22(2); S.S.I. 2025/175, reg. 2(k)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "Word in s. 34(6) substituted (25.6.2025) by Police (Ethics, Conduct and Scrutiny) (Scotland) Act 2025 (asp 5), ss. 13(1)(c), 22(2); S.S.I. 2025/175, reg. 2(k)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F8",
      "text": "S. 34(7) repealed (1.4.2013) by Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 (asp 8), s. 129(2), Sch. 8 Pt. 1; S.S.I. 2013/51, art. 2 (with transitional provisions and savings in S.S.I. 2013/121, arts. 1(1), 11)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F9",
      "text": "S. 34 heading substituted (25.6.2025) by Police (Ethics, Conduct and Scrutiny) (Scotland) Act 2025 (asp 5), ss. 13(2), 22(2); S.S.I. 2025/175, reg. 2(k)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2006/10/section/34",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T20:16:12.377722+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}