This is done by first looking at the recent history of complaints procedures in a number of Western countries, relating changes and conflicts to the wider public concerns of the time. The objectives and expectations of complaints systems are then discussed, with particular focus on the problems that have emerged in attempts to implement these expectations. These problems are explored in terms of the persistent difficulties the police face in maintaining public confidence on the issue of accountability. In examining the possibilities and prospects for significant reform in this area, the essay further pursues an argument concerned with the importance of the informational as well as sanctional significance of complaints for the improvement of police policy and operations. It goes beyond a functional analysis to examine the changing nature of police discourse and the impact these changes have for discussions of complaints procedures and police accountability. This essay refers at different stages to developments in Australia, Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom by way of illustration of general themes and issues.