The inquiry will examine the role and remit of the
Independent Office for Police Conduct in relation to the police
conduct and discipline system. It will look at how the IOPC and
police forces around the country work to resolve complaints and
at progress in reforming the system following criticisms of the
time taken to resolve complaints. It will also investigate what
reforms are required to secure public confidence in the police
conduct and disciplinary system.
In 2018-19, police forces recorded a total of 31,097
complaint cases (2% fewer than the previous year). These
complaints involved 58,478 allegations (a 5% decrease on the
previous year). The allegation rate was 264 allegations per 1,000
employees across all forces. Forces finalised 54,987 allegations
in the year, with 48% being resolved locally and 40% being
subject to investigation.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is
responsible for overseeing the police complaints system in
England and Wales. However, only the most serious and sensitive
cases are dealt with by the IOPC; most complaints are dealt with
by local forces themselves. Each police force has a separate
department that oversees complaints. These are called
:professional standards departments" (PSDs). Responsibility for
ensuring that issues are handled in a fair and just manner by a
local force PSD rests with the Chief Constable, who is
accountable to the relevant Police and Crime Commissioner or
other relevant office holder.
Concerns have been expressed repeatedly by Police and Crime
Commissioners, policing representatives and others about the
timeliness and effectiveness of IOPC investigations. Michael
Lockwood, the director general of the IOPC, has himself
acknowledged "legacy issues" of over-long investigations which
the organisation is working to address. More recent reviews,
notably the inspection by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and
Fire & Rescue Services of the Metropolitan Police Service's
response to the recommendations made in the Henriques report on
Operation Midland, also expressed concerns about the response of
policing to problems identified through police complaints,
including delays in taking responsibility for learning lessons
and implementing recommendations made.
Terms of reference
Written evidence is invited on the issues set out below,
but please note that submissions do not need to address all of
these issues:
-
The role and remit of the IOPC within the police conduct
and discipline system;
-
Progress in reforming the complaints system, including
speeding up decision
-
making;
-
How the IOPC is working with individual forces and
policing bodies, including HMICFRS, in order to respond to
complaints;
-
The need for the IOPC's new powers (introduced in
February 2020), and their expected impact; and
-
Whether further reforms are required to secure public
confidence in the police conduct and discipline system.
Please note that the Committee is not able to:
-
consider individual cases;
-
reopen any complaints against police; or
-
consider any matters that are currently subject to legal
proceeding.
The Committee wants to hear your views. It welcomes
submissions from anyone with answers to the questions in the
terms of reference. More information about how to submit evidence
is available here.
