Who is the Chief Investigating Officer
The Chief Investigating Officer is appointed by the Scottish Ministers, following a public advert and a competitive selection process.
How to make a complaint
Anyone who believes a Code of Conduct may have been breached can make a complaint by sending their complaint to the Chief Investigating Officer. If a person needs help to make a complaint in writing, they may contact the Office of the Chief Investigating Officer by telephone. The Office will then write to confirm that the complaint has been passed to the Chief Investigating Officer.
What happens during an investigation
Once a complaint by a member of the public is made, the complaint is passed to the Chief Investigating Officer. If it is decided that the complaint is not one that the can be dealt with under the ethical standards framework, the complainant will be told why. If another organisation might be able to help, the complainant will be informed. If the person making the complaint does not agree with the Chief Investigating Officer's decision not to investigate, he/she can ask the Standards Commission to review that decision.
When the Chief Investigating Officer has completed his investigation, he will submit a Report to the Commission. If the Chief Investigating Officer concludes that there has been a breach of the Code of Conduct, the Standards Commission will then decide whether to:
- Direct the Chief Investigating Officer to carry out further investigation;
- Hold a hearing; or
- Do neither.
For the purposes of an investigation, the Chief Investigating Officer may require any person to give relevant information or produce relevant documents to do so. The Chief Investigating Officer has the same powers as the Court of Session to enforce the attendance and examination of witnesses and the production of documents.
Further Information
The latest statistics from the Office of the Chief Investigating Officer 2007/08 are now available and can also be viewed in context in the Standards Commission and Chief Investigating Officer's Annual Report for 2007/08 available on their website along with the Chief Investigating Officer's contact details.