Police complaints and discipline IPCC powers
The IPCC was established by Part 2 of the Police Reform Act 2002 ("the 2002 Act") and started operating in 2004. It is responsible for overseeing the police complaints system in England and Wales, assessing appeals against complaints decisions and investigating serious matters involving the police, including deaths or serious injuries ("DSI") following police contact.
	The 2002 Act sets out the detailed provision for the handling of recordable conduct matters, complaints, and DSI involving the police.
	As the body that oversees police complaints, the IPCC sets the standards by which the police should handle complaints. Although the IPCC has statutory responsibility to oversee the police complaints system and to maintain public confidence, in reality, it is not in charge of the whole process, with a majority of cases being dealt with by police forces, unless considered serious, then police forces must refer to the IPCC.
	In a statement to Parliament on police integrity on 12 February 2013, the Home Secretary committed to a major change programme to ensure that the IPCC has increased capacity and funding to investigate all serious and sensitive matters involving the police: "I want to make sure that the Independent Police Complaints Commission is equipped to do its important work… its role has been evolving and the proposals I announce today develop it further. Public concern about the IPCC has been based on its powers and its resources, and I want to address both issues." (House of Commons, Official Report, columns 713 to 715)
	In 2014 the IPCC embarked on a three year programme of change, as it expands to investigate all serious and sensitive allegations and incidents involving the police. Since then the IPCC has recruited an additional 323 operational staff, taking it to a total of 877 (as of 2015/16) and the number of independent investigations taken on has increased nearly five-fold (starting 519 new investigations in 2015/16 compared with 109 in 2013/14).