When the Commissioner of Police is satisfied with the results of an investigation, a copy of the investigation report is sent to the Authority. After assessing the report, the Authority may find that the complaint has been properly investigated or may ask that further investigations be carried [Police (Complaints and Disciplinary Proceedings) Act 1985 ss.31, 32].

Sometimes when the full picture is presented from the investigation report it becomes clear that the complainant and the police are seeing the incident from different viewpoints which they are equally entitled to have. For example, the police may have appeared to the complainant to have overreacted while searching a house when in fact, unknown to the complainant, they were searching for an armed fugitive. When both versions are laid side by side, the full facts of the incident become clearer and can be explained satisfactorily to the parties, having regard to each person's frame of reference.