'A need for empathy': 10% rise in police complaints

Police investigatory agency Committee P has seen the number of complaints against officers increase by 9.4% in the past year, new figures have revealed.

“There is a need for greater respect and empathy in interactions between citizens and police officers,” the committee said,a after releasing the figures for 2025.

Committee P received 3,213 reports in total from members of the public last year. Of these, 2,783 were registered and investigated as formal complaints.

The oversight body found no wrongdoing in seven out of 10 closed cases.

One potential explanation for the rise in complaints is that the year was marked by protests, during which the police were often deployed in large numbers. The 14 October protest on the national day of action generated 40 complaints alone.

Committee P has already received 13 complaints regarding police action during the riots at the demonstrations against cuts to French-language education earlier this month.

Complaints of a criminal nature remain rare. Complainants mainly raise concerns when officers refuse to intervene, or when they do intervene and use disproportionate measures such as handcuffs or pepper spray.

The second major category of complaints was "poor attitude" on the part of the police, such as an intimidating demeanour or a failure to provide adequate explanation.

To avoid such complaints, Committee P is asking police to take more time during initial contact with members of the public and to place greater emphasis on respect and empathy.

In concrete terms, this means “explaining decisions to members of the public and recording complaints correctly”. When interacting with young people, the focus should be on appropriate communication and immediately notifying parents.

The committee said that greater attention must also be paid to the question of when coercive measures may or may not be used, which can be achieved by placing greater emphasis on empathy in police training.

Committee P also emphasised how important it is to make the process of lodging complaints as accessible as possible.