ff pursuing lines of inquiry on grounds of reasonable suspicion and not disregarding evidence in support of a complaint238 or uncritically accepting evidence, particularly police testimonies,239 against a complaint;240 ff investigating complaints of police discrimination or police misconduct on grounds of race,241 ethnicity, religion, belief, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age or any other grounds; and ff in recognition of the difficulties involved in proving discrimination investigators have an additional duty to thoroughly examine all of the facts to uncover any possible discriminatory motives.242 Promptness 70. The promptness principle stresses the need for timeliness and that fair and effective complaints investigations must be undertaken promptly and expeditiously.243 Delay may result in the loss of crucial evidence and failure to conduct an adequate investigation.244 71. Failure to conduct a complaints investigation in a prompt and reasonably expeditious manner may give the appearance that there is a reluctance to investigate or of collusion between investigators and officers complained against to conceal wrongdoing.245 Delay may be unfair to the officer complained against and amount to an abuse of process, which may result in failure to bring an offender to justice despite the existence of incontrovertible evidence against him or her.246 238. See, for example, Aydin v. Turkey (57/1996/676/866), Judgment 25 September 1997§ 98. 239. See, for example, Kaya v. Turkey (158/1996/777/978), Judgment 19 February 1998, § 89. 240. See, for example, Cobzaru v. Romania (Application no. 48254/99), Judgment 26 July 2007, § 72. 241. See, for example, Nachova v. Bulgaria (Application nos. 43577/98 and 43579/98), Judgment 6 July 2005, §§ 162-168; and recommendation by the European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance concerning complaints alleging racial discrimination, General Policy Recommendation No. 11, On Combating Racism and Racial Discrimination in Policing, § 51. 242. See, for example, Nachova v. Bulgaria (Application nos. 43577/98 and 43579/98), Judgment 6 July 2005, §§ 160-164. 243. See, for example, Ognyanova v. Bulgaria (Application no. 46317/99), Judgment 23 February 2006, § 114. 244. See, for example, Aydin v. Turkey (57/1996/676/866), Judgment 25 September 1997 § 108. 245. See, for example, Ramsahai v. The Netherlands (Application no. 52391/99), Judgment 15 May 2007, § 330. 246. See, for example, Bati v. Turkey (Application nos. 33097/96 and 57834/00), Judgment 3 June 2004, § 147. Effective investigation of ill-treatment – Guidelines ► Page 98