The number of complaints against Kent police has soared by 24 per cent – one of the highest percentage rises in the country.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission’s latest figures show 28,963 complaints were recorded by police forces across England and Wales between 2007 and 2008.

A total of 695 people complained against Kent Police over the same time period - 137 more than the previous financial year.

This jump was one of the highest percentage increases in the UK – ranking Kent sixth out of 43 police forces.

IPCC chairman Nick Hardwick said: “It is unacceptable that nearly half of all complaints involve neglect or rudeness. There is absolutely no excuse for being rude to the public.”

Complaint cases, which may have one or more allegations, also included common assault and stop and search.

In England and Wales there were 48,280 allegations made against the police forces in 2007 and 2008 – a five per cent increase on the previous year.

The county had a total of 1,249 allegations – 1,194 of those were against police officers.

Mr Hardwick added: “The large rise in complaint cases that occurred after we were set up has levelled off. But clearly the public continues to feel greater confidence in the complaints process. The right to appeal plays a part in building that level of confidence.

“I welcome the concern the Police Superintendents’ Association have expressed about the issue but what is needed is action, not words.

“It is hoped that the proportion of complaints that are resolved at a local level will rise again. Use of local resolution is much-more likely to meet public expectations of a swift explanation of what appeared to go wrong”.

IPCC has also overseen 2,397 complaints against HM Revenue and Customs in the years between 2007 and 2008, of which nearly four in 10 were upheld.

For more information on the IPCC visit www.ipcc.gov.uk