Complaints procedure

Complain about the CNCs service, staff or police officers and find out about misconduct hearings and criminal cases involving CNC employees


Complain about the CNC’s service or staff

Fill in a National Complaints Form (PDF, 1.7 MB, 5 pages) and email it to our Professional Standards Department or send it to:

Professional Standards Department
Civil Nuclear Constabulary
Culham Science Centre
Abingdon
Oxfordshire
OX14 3DB

Complain about a police officer in the CNC

If you want to make a complaint about a police officer in the CNC you can:

Further help with making a complaint

Visit your local Citizens Advice Bureau who will tell you if you’ve got grounds for a complaint. They can also help you to make the complaint.

Your solicitor or local law centre can advise you or help you make a complaint.

If your complaint might be about a racial incident, you can contact the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Criminal cases involving CNC employees

A former CNC police officer has been sentenced to three years in prison, after being found guilty on 7 July of assaulting a woman on 26 September 2020.

Jason Corley, aged 42, of Oaklands in Framingham Earl, Norfolk, was a serving police constable with the CNC based at Sizewell when the offence took place. He resigned from the Constabulary shortly after his arrest.

Read more about the story on the Norfolk Police website

Misconduct hearings

The Civil Nuclear Constabulary will publish information about public misconduct or accelerated proceedings here. Both procedures deal with allegations of gross misconduct.

All misconduct or accelerated proceedings should be held in public to improve transparency and accountability and to ensure public confidence. There may be circumstances when it will be necessary and appropriate for all or parts of the proceedings to be held in private. In such cases notice giving reasons will be provided to the public.

Misconduct hearings are heard by a panel of three, most typically a legally qualified Chair, assisted by an officer of superintendent rank and an independent lay-person. The facts will be heard by the panel, often with the assistance of live witnesses to enable the panel to make a determination.

Accelerated proceedings are heard by the Chief Constable, who will consider the evidence available from reports and documentary evidence. Witnesses do not normally attend accelerated proceedings.

In cases held under either process, the possible outcomes and sanctions available are:

  • misconduct not found
  • no further action
  • refer to reflective practice review process
  • written warning (valid for 18 months)
  • final written warning (two years)
  • extension of final written warning (up to five years)
  • reduction in rank
  • dismissal without notice

The public will be given a minimum of five working days notice of any forthcoming misconduct or accelerated proceedings.

Please note the following:

  • anyone not preregistered will not be admitted
  • anyone attending must arrive a minimum of one hour of the stated time with appropriate formal photographic identification
  • audio and video recordings are not permitted
  • the use of live, text based communications for the purpose of simultaneous reporting will only be permitted if the person chairing or conducting proceedings is satisfied that it does not interfere with the orderly conduct of the proceedings
  • any behaviour deemed to interfere or likely to interfere with proceedings will lead to exclusion from the hearing
  • animals, with the exclusion of guide/assistance dogs are not permitted in the hearing room
  • there is limited visitor parking available
  • catering facilities are available at the individual’s expense

Finding from misconduct hearing

Notice of Outcome

Officer concerned: PC Lee Orr

Date of Accelerated Misconduct Hearing: 25 October 2023

Outcome Summary

On Wednesday 16 August 2023 PC Orr was convicted at the Ayr Sheriff Court of assault.

It was alleged that PC Orr’s conduct amounted to a breach of the Standards of Professional Behaviour, in respect of Discreditable Conduct, in that PC Orr behaved in a manner which discredited the police service and / or undermined public confidence in it.  It was alleged that this conduct, if found proved, would amount to Gross Misconduct.

At the hearing, the chair, Chief Constable Simon Chesterman, found the allegation of Discreditable Conduct proven as Gross Misconduct.

Decision

PC Orr was dismissed without notice.

Chair's finding in case of PC Lee Orr

CNC acknowledges the content and Recommendations of the HMICFRS report on use of S60 powers of search, following the super complaint by the Criminal Justice Alliance. CNC is formed to principally provide armed policing in connection with the civil nuclear sector and certain other areas. While we acknowledge the requirements of the Recommendations, CNC has not used the powers conferred by S60 and believes that any occasions where our officers might use these while acting in support of Home Office police force colleagues, they will be reported through local forces as our officers will act under their direction. Where the recommendations in the report apply more generally to the use of stop and search powers, the force has taken the opportunity to review training and procedures in relation to its use of stop and search.