The way complaints about policing in Hitchin and across Hertfordshire are handled will change from Thursday, October 1.

Responsibility for handling complaints will transfer from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) to Hertfordshire Constabulary.

The change follows the Government's announcement that the role of Police and Crime Commissioner is due to end in 2028.

Police say the move is intended to provide continuity in the way complaints are managed during the expected changes to police governance over the coming years.

For members of the public, however, there is expected to be little noticeable difference. Residents will still be able to make complaints using the contact details provided on the Hertfordshire Constabulary website or by calling 101.

The force's Complaint Resolution Team will oversee the handling of complaints, including assessing and logging cases and providing an outcome for most complaints from members of the public.

The team will also identify trends and areas where lessons can be learned to improve policing standards across Hertfordshire.

More serious investigations involving potential misconduct by police officers or staff will be logged by the team before being referred to the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Professional Standards Department.

Referrals to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) will continue in accordance with national guidance.

The OPCC will retain responsibility for reviews of complaints and for complaints made about the Chief Constable.

Dhanmita Boodhna, Director Strategic Services and Delivery for Hertfordshire Constabulary, said: "We are committed to dealing with complaints fairly and transparently and in line with national standards.

"How we manage complaints is key to our legitimacy as a service and public trust and confidence in policing.

"Complaints about police in Hertfordshire have been dealt with by a team based within the OPCC. This arrangement has largely been an outlier nationally with most parts of the country handling public complaints within their respective forces.

"The changes bring us in line with this model as well as ensuring high service standards are maintained throughout the expected changes to police governance in the coming years."

Mrs Boodhna added that the complaints team would remain separate from operational departments within Hertfordshire Constabulary, although it would liaise with officers where necessary to resolve complaints and improve services.

She said: "The public is expected to see very little change and can continue to make complaints at the contact details provided on our website, or by calling 101."