Cumbria Police Referred 110 Cases to Watchdog as Corruption Allegations Remain Under Scrutiny
Cumbria Police referred 110 cases to the Independent Office for Police Conduct during 2024/25, new figures show.
The figures cover referrals made between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025. They include cases sent to the police watchdog because they may have needed independent review or investigation.
Of those 110 referrals, 108 were completed during the year.
The outcomes were:
- 7 cases were selected for independent investigation
- 30 cases were sent for local investigation
- 69 cases were returned to Cumbria Police
- 2 cases were classed as invalid
A referral does not mean wrongdoing has been proven. It means the case was serious enough to be sent to the IOPC for a decision on what should happen next.
Referrals Fell, But Complaints Increased
Cumbria Police made fewer referrals to the IOPC than the previous year. However, the number of complaint cases logged by Cumbria Police increased.
During 2024/25, the force recorded:
- 1,117 complaint cases
- 1,895 separate allegations
Cumbria Police recorded 1,117 complaint cases in 2024/25, up from 976 the previous year. That is an increase of 14.4%. Separate allegations rose from 1,599 to 1,895, an increase of 18.5%.
What Were People Complaining About?
The largest category was delivery of duties and service.
This covered 831 allegations and included complaints about how police carried out their work.
Examples in this category can include:
- Decisions made by officers or staff
- How information was handled
- Delays or perceived lack of action
- Concerns about how incidents were followed up
The second largest category was police powers, policies and procedures, with 431 allegations.
This can include complaints about:
- Use of force
- Arrest powers
- Stop and search
- Search of premises
- Seizure of property
These two categories made up a large share of the complaints logged against the force.
Corruption and Abuse of Position Allegations
The figures also included a category for abuse of position and corruption.
Cumbria Police logged 19 allegations in this category during 2024/25.
That was the same number as the previous year.
This category can cover serious concerns, including allegations that an officer or staff member misused their role, acted dishonestly, or used their position for personal gain.
Examples of allegations that may fall under this area include:
- Abuse of position for a personal purpose
- Abuse of position for a sexual purpose
- Misuse of police systems or information
- Fraud or dishonest conduct
- Failure to report misconduct
- Interfering with justice or investigations
These are allegations only. The figures do not mean all cases were proven.
Some Cases Led to Dismissals or Warnings
The FOI response shows that outcomes varied widely.
Some allegations resulted in misconduct hearings, dismissals, final written warnings or reflective practice. Other cases were not upheld, de-recorded, or resulted in no further action.
Again, the figures show that each case had to be assessed on its own evidence. Not every allegation led to disciplinary action.
Why These Figures Matter
The figures show how often concerns were raised, how many were referred to the watchdog and how many involved serious categories such as corruption or abuse of position.
They also show that not every complaint leads to an independent investigation.
In Cumbria, most IOPC referrals were either returned to the force or sent for local investigation. A smaller number were taken on for independent investigation.
A Mixed Picture for Cumbria Police
The latest figures present a mixed picture.
On one hand, referrals to the IOPC fell compared with the previous year.
On the other, the total number of complaint cases and allegations increased.
The number of abuse of position and corruption allegations stayed the same, with 19 recorded for the second year running.
The figures do not show widespread proven corruption. But they do show why complaints data remains important, especially when public trust in policing is under pressure nationally.
For Cumbria residents, the data gives a clearer view of how many concerns are being raised and what kinds of issues are being reported.
