Recommendations & Conclusions
9 items
14
Conclusion
Sixth Report - Police Conduct and Compl…
Acknowledged
Evidence to our inquiry suggests that insufficient focus is given to the staffing and operation of some professional standards departments including their culture, transparency and ethnic diversity representation.
Government response. The government recognises the risk of a lack of appropriate representation in professional standards departments and commits to outlining urgent actions regarding ethnic minority staffing disparities in a future response to the Macpherson report.
Home Office
18
Recommendation
Sixth Report - Police Conduct and Compl…
Acknowledged
The example of its taking seven years to clear one police officer of misconduct is exceptional, but demonstrates why the IOPC must focus its efforts on concluding investigations as quickly as possible. Quite aside from the effect on an individual’s morale, the removal from officers under investigation from front-line duties …
Government response. The government notes IOPC progress in minimizing investigation delays but agrees more can be done, highlighting revised IOPC guidance for police witnesses. It expresses a desire for improved cooperation from police organizations and mentions wider work on misconduct statistics and …
Home Office
19
Conclusion
Sixth Report - Police Conduct and Compl…
Acknowledged
It is unsatisfactory and unedifying to hear policing organisations blame the IOPC for delay while the IOPC suggests officers may drag their heels in cooperating with investigations. Nor is it wholly sufficient for Chief Constable Guildford to suggest Police Conduct and Complaints 49 the IOPC could resolve some of that …
Government response. The government acknowledges the issue of delays and cooperation, noting the IOPC's efforts, including revised guidance for witnesses. It expresses disappointment with the Police Federation's stance but looks forward to working with police forces to improve cooperation.
Home Office
21
Recommendation
Sixth Report - Police Conduct and Compl…
Acknowledged
The IOPC must use its powers effectively to minimise delays to investigations at an early stage of the process. It should proactively call to account those responsible for delays or who refuse to co-operate with investigations. Police forces, individual officers and their representative organisations must also take more responsibility for …
Government response. The government notes IOPC progress on minimizing delays and agrees more can be done, highlighting IOPC's revised guidance for police witnesses and the College of Policing's review of the Code of Ethics to promote challenging bad behavior. It also references …
Home Office
22
Recommendation
Sixth Report - Police Conduct and Compl…
Acknowledged
The progress the IOPC has made in clearing 91% of its core investigations within 12 months is welcome and must be maintained. While there are risks in setting time targets for investigations (not least the incentive for those under investigation to delay co-operation if the clock is ticking), the Government …
Government response. The government notes the IOPC's progress in minimizing investigation delays and their revised guidance for police witnesses. It agrees that further work on end-to-end system timeliness is needed and would welcome Home Office leadership on this issue, but does not …
Home Office
24
Conclusion
Sixth Report - Police Conduct and Compl…
Acknowledged
We welcome the super-complaints process and are encouraged by the Home Office’s pledge to review the designated bodies that can submit super-complaints on systemic issues in policing to include a broader range of organisations, including disability organisations.
Government response. The government notes and expresses pleasure regarding the Committee's positive comments on the February 2020 reforms and its encouragement for the Home Office's pledge to review designated super-complaint bodies.
Home Office
30
Recommendation
Sixth Report - Police Conduct and Compl…
Acknowledged
We urge the Government to review how IOPC, HMICFRS, and Coroners’ learning recommendations are reported to the public in a more joined-up and meaningful way. We recommend that data be published centrally, in order to simplify and streamline access to this important information. (Paragraph 152)
Government response. The government agrees there is a case for greater coordination and clarification on learning recommendations and will consider the proposal for central publication further, exploring possible join-up with IOPC and other bodies.
Home Office
31
Conclusion
Sixth Report - Police Conduct and Compl…
The IOPC has made concerted efforts in its first three years to build public trust in the police complaints system by actively listening to policing bodies and communities about their concerns and by providing greater transparency in the publication of the outcome of its investigations.
Government response. The IOPC are already making a concerted effort to uphold confidence in the police complaints system. As referred to in the Committee’s report, this includes providing greater transparency in the publication of investigation outcomes, actively listening to policing bodies and …
Home Office
32
Conclusion
Sixth Report - Police Conduct and Compl…
It is troubling, nine years on from the Committee’s last report on this topic, that concerns are still raised about delays to investigations that detrimentally affect people’s lives, about complexity of language and processes, and about inconsistency in updating and supporting officers and complainants during investigations. (Paragraph 154) Police Conduct …
Government response. The Government notes the Committee’s positive comments on the February 2020 reforms to the police conduct and complaints system, and is pleased that the Committee welcomes the reforms that “ensure the delays to investigations are minimised”, and that they “welcome …
Home Office