Source · IOPC Learning Case

Recommendation - Hertfordshire Constabulary, October 2022

Ref: 2019/118019 Recommended 13 Oct 2022 Response due 8 Dec 2022

We identified organisational learning from an investigation appeal. The complaint related to a longstanding neighbour dispute between two police officers serving in different forces. It was alleged that one officer abused his position in the force to get a crime recorded against the other officer, using avenues to influence the recording that would not normally be available to members of the public.

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Recommendations

1 total

Recommendation 1

The IOPC recommends that Hertfordshire Constabulary produce guidance that is shared amongst officers to clarify that the force crime registrar are the final arbiters in such scenario’s regarding whether an allegation of a crime should be recorded or not. The force crime registrar should be notified at the earliest opportunity of a contention arising regarding the recording of a criminal allegation, and that clarification should be sought directly from the crime registrar in the first instance during such matters, due to their role as the final and appropriate authority in recording criminal allegations. This follows an IOPC appeal where various officer's conducted a review of an allegation regarding criminal damage, on the request of a serving officer, without final consultation from the force crime registrar. The case was reviewed on several occasions before the crime registrar were involved and the final review found that there was an allegation of criminal damage that should have been recorded. Do you accept the recommendation? Yes

Addressed to: Hertfordshire Constabulary

Linked bodies: Hertfordshire Constabulary

Accepted

Force response

Accepted action: Head of PSD - I will write formally to the head of the FCR and Crime respectively upon formalisation of the recommendation within Paragraph 28A of Schedule 3 to the Police Reform Act 2002. I will advise them of this recommendation and to ensure that appropriate governance is in place to ensure this is business as usual.