KEY POINTS:
The independent police watchdog has received more than 2000 complaints against police in the past year - thought to be the highest number ever.
However, the Independent Police Conduct Authority says it is dealing with the complaints quicker.
The authority received 2073 complaints in the 2007/2008 year and accepted 1690 for investigation, figures released in its annual report showed.
The number of complaints was thought to be the highest in its 20-year history, if the work of the Police Complaints Authority was included. Last year it received 2016 complaints.
The authority closed 383 complaints from this year and 1448 from previous years during the 2007/2008 year, leaving 1307 open at June 30, 2008.
It reduced the number of complaints older than 12 months by 87 per cent, dropping it from 1611 to 211.
The most common complaints included allegations of police failing to investigate or inadequately investigating a case; failing to provide medical assistance, water or food; bad language or attitude or the use of physical force.
The most complaints were received from the Waitemata district, followed by Auckland and Wellington.
The authority said it would fully implement a new structure in the 2008/2009 year which would increase the number of investigators from five to nine, as well as establish investigating teams and a service centre.
"These changes will allow the authority to place greater priority on independent investigation of the most serious complaints and incidents ... and allow complaints to be dealt with more promptly," it said in the report.
- NZPA
