Family demand CCTV is released
The family of a County Durham man who died in police custody have taken the difficult decision to release CCTV of the moments after he died
IPCC statement on Cleveland Police complaint
The police watchdog have released a statement after a complaint was upheld against Cleveland Police.
Rise in police complaints
Allegations against North East forces rose last year - but officers said it showed more people have confidence in the complaints system.
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Family demand CCTV is released
The family of a County Durham man who died in police custody have taken the difficult decision to release CCTV of the moments after he died
Read the full storyCleveland Deputy Chief faces IPCC Disciplinary Hearing
The suspended deputy Chief Constable of Cleveland Police Derek Bonnard is due to attend a disciplinary hearing today to face seven allegations of potential gross misconduct. The hearing will be held at an undisclosed location and is expected to last for up to four weeks.
The hearing follows a managed investigation carried out by the Independent Police Complaints Commission following a referral from Cleveland Police Authority in August 2011. Mr Bonnard will remain suspended from duty throughout the hearing.
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Police watchdog investigating senior member of Cleveland Police
Cleveland Police have suspended a senior member of staff after the Independent Police Complaints Commission announced an investigation into allegations of misuse of public funds.
The police watchdog is investigating claims that unauthorised payments were made to an outside company by Assistant Chief Officer Ann Hall, who is responsible for the Cleveland force's finance and commissioning.
The payments, said to have been made to an executive coaching company between July 2010 and October 2011, are thought to amount to thousands of pounds.
Cleveland Police are also carrying out an independent investigation, alongside the IPCC enquiry.
In a statement, the IPCC said:
– IPCC Commissioner Cindy Butts"Any allegations of misuse of public funds is serious and must be investigated.
"Given the recent history of Cleveland Police....I can appreciate that news of this investigation may cause some concern among the public.
"I can assure them this investigation will be thorough and conducted as quickly as possible.”
IPCC statement on Cleveland Police complaint
The police watchdog have released a statement after a complaint was upheld against Cleveland Police.
Read the full storyComplaint upheld against Cleveland Police
The police watchdog, the IPCC, has upheld a complaint that a Cleveland Police officer punched a man.
The man in his forties was arrested at home in Hartlepool last year.
He also said police went through his mobile phone to stop him filming the incident.
The officer involved will face a misconduct meeting, and the force has been asked to look into whether the man was wrongly arrested.
Full Report: "Catalogue of errors" by Durham Force
The police watchdog has identified a catalogue of errors by officers at the Durham force in Peterlee.
The announcement came after an investigation into the death of a man from Seaham, who died in police custody shortly after being arrested in 2010.
An inquest into his death resulted in a verdict of misadventure.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission described the actions of the police officers, who were there, as "wholly inadequate."
The officers involved in the incident now face misconduct hearings where they could be dismissed from the force.
You can watch the full report from Frances Read below:
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Durham Police officers 'failed to help' suspect who died in custody
The Independent Police Complaints Commission has accused Durham Police officers of doing nothing to help an arrested man who collapsed and died in custody.
The IPCC report says officers waited nine minutes to try to resuscitate 44 year old Leonard McCourt.
Mr McCourt was arrested after a disturbance in Seaham in September 2010.
After a confrontation with police, a pepper spray was used on him twice. He was put onto the floor of a police van, to be taken to the station at Peterlee.
The IPCC investigation found that the use of pepper spray was reasonable.
However, the report highlighted "a catalogue of failures" in the care that was given to Mr McCourt after he collapsed.
It said that as well as the delay in trying to resuscitate him, the attempts at CPR were poor and the officers' reaction was "wholly inadequate".
The Crown Prosecution Service had decided there was insufficient evidence to bring criminal charges against any of the officers.
Durham Police said it accepted the inquest verdict of misadventure, and added:
"Durham Constabulary continues to extend its condolences to Mr McCourt's family on their loss. We co-operated fully with an IPCC independent investigation into the circumstances leading to Mr McCourt's death".
The officers concerned are now facing disciplinary hearings for alleged misconduct and gross misconduct.
Police complaints rise in last year
Allegations and complaints made against the region's Police forces have been on the rise in the last year, according to statistics released by the IPCC.
You can watch the full report from Lucy Taylor below:
Rise in police complaints
Allegations against North East forces rose last year - but officers said it showed more people have confidence in the complaints system.
Read the full storyComplaints against the region's police on the rise
Three of the region's police forces have experienced an increase in complaints this year.
It comes after statistics released by the Independent Police Complaints Commission showed a rise in the figures.
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