What is the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission?
The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission, or LECC for short, was established in 2017 as a permanent independent investigative commission. LECC provides oversight of the NSW Police Force and NSW Crime Commission.
It replaced both the Police Integrity Commission (PIC) and the Police Compliance Branch of the NSW Ombudsman.
The LECC has two functions:
- detecting and investigating misconduct and corruption; and
- overseeing complaints handling.
What does the LECC do?
The LECC is an accountability body that aims to prevent, detect and investigate misconduct and maladministration within NSW law enforcement agencies.
The LECC has been responsible for several high-profile investigations into the NSW Police Force in recent years, including:
- Ongoing inquiries into NSW Police Force strip search practices
- Operation Monza – an investigation of NSW Police Force officers involved in the harassment and intimidation of a NSW legal practitioner
- Operation Tusket – an investigation commenced by the Commission in 2017 regarding the NSW Police Force’s administration of the NSW Child Protection Register
As well as conducting its own investigations, the LECC oversees the way the NSW Police Force and the NSW Crime Commission respond to complaints and conduct internal investigations.
Can I make a complaint to the LECC?
Yes. However, complaints made to the LECC will usually be referred to the NSW Police Force or NSW Crime Commission to be dealt with internally by those organisations.
However, the LECC only investigates or provides oversight for the most serious instances of misconduct by NSW Police Force or NSW Crime Commission officers such as:
- Corruption, including soliciting or accepting bribes;
- Perverting the course of justice (for example by planting evidence at a crime scene or interfering with a brief of evidence);
- Serious assaults;
- Releasing confidential police information to criminals;
- Interfering in police investigations;
- Associating with criminals; or
- Manufacturing, cultivating or supplying prohibited drugs
What happens when I make a complaint to the LECC?
The complaint is assessed by the LECC, and a decision will be made about what to do with the complaint. The LECC may:
- refer the matter to another agency or the NSW Police Force or NSW Crime Commission;
- request an investigation by the NSW Police Force or NSW Crime Commission and conduct an oversight of the agency’s final investigation report;
- conduct further assessment enquiries;
- undertake a preliminary investigation; or
- take no further action
If you’re unhappy with the handling of your complaint by the NSW Police Force or the NSW Crime Commission, you can also ask the LECC to review the way your complaint was dealt with.
Contact O’Brien Criminal and Civil Solicitors about police misconduct
If you have a complaint about the conduct of NSW Police Force or NSW Crime Commission officers, you should speak to a lawyer who can provide you with advice on your options for making a complaint.
Depending on the situation, you may also be able to sue the police for their unlawful actions.
Call us on (02) 9261 4281 for a free initial consultation to discuss your legal options
