Annual report 2004-05

Report: 13
Date: 09 Jun 05
By: the Chief Executive

Summary

The full Authority has agreed that each committee should produce an annual report on its activities, giving a summary of the key issues that have been discussed and upon which decisions have been made. This is the draft report of the Professional Standards and Complaints Committee (PSCC), and Members are asked to approve it.

A. Recommendations

That Members approve the contents of this report for submission to the Authority meeting.

B. Supporting information

The Morris Inquiry

1. Much of our attention this year has been focussed on the Report of the Morris Inquiry. Prior to its publication we began our consideration of the need for the MPA to strengthen its oversight role, and additional staff resources were created in the MPA Secretariat to support this work. We were pleased to find, when the Inquiry published its Report in December 2004, that many of the recommendations and proposals made by the MPA in its evidence to the Inquiry were supported by the Inquiry. Since December 2004, our focus has been to work jointly with other Committees, through the Member Steering Group, to devise a cohesive programme of work to secure the implementation of Morris’ recommendations by the MPS and other agencies. The more recently published Reports of the CRE Inquiry into Policing and of the Taylor Review of Police Discipline Procedures include many recommendations that overlap with Morris and so the MPA work programme now incorporates all relevant recommendations as a major programme of transformational change.

2. In relation to the Professional Standards function, one of Morris’ key recommendations was that the Commissioner should carry out a fundamental review of DPS. We have now approved the terms of reference for that review, and will take an active part in its governance. Bringing this review to an effective conclusion is perhaps the single largest challenge facing the Directorate and the committee in the year ahead.

3. We will also put in place in the year ahead new arrangements for Members to scrutinise cases dealt with by the DPS, in line with the recommendations made by Morris. This will increase the demands on Member’s time, but is absolutely necessary if we are to discharge our oversight obligations fully. The new senior managers in the Directorate of Professional Standards are committed to principles of openness and transparency, and are working closely with us to build on the foundations that Morris has given us for reform.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission

4. The IPCC came into existence on 1 April 2004. We have established sound working relationships with the Commission, recognising our shared interest in an effective complaints process and a readiness to learn from each other’s experience. We have agreed to meet the Commission three times a year for an exchange of information and views, and to work together on areas of common interest. In addition, we have invited a London commissioner to attend each of our Committee meetings, and we have valued the advice that each of them have given and the constructive part they have played in our discussions.

Oversight of police complaints and discipline

5. The PSCC considers a report at every meeting outlining the performance of the Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS) against an agreed set of performance measures including trends covering all areas of activity.

6. In the year to April 2005, there was an increase of about 14% in the number of public complaints recorded, reversing the previous downward trend in complaints. We view this increase positively, in that it may well reflect increased public confidence in the complaints process following the creation of the IPCC. It may also be proof that efforts within the MPS are succeeding in ensuring that more complaints are properly recorded and actioned (although mystery shopper exercises this year confirm that there is still a lot to do in that area).

7. The timeliness of investigations into complaints continues to improve and the average last year was 102 days – comfortably within the target of 120 days. The time to arrange disciplinary hearings is also reducing satisfactorily. The timeliness of internal investigation of conduct matters is improving but we look forward to continuing reductions.

8. The quality assurance of investigations will be improved as a result of DPS setting up a Review Unit in October 2004, with the overall aim of increasing confidence in the integrity and ability of DPS Investigations, and of securing proportionate and timely, as well as thorough, investigations.

9. We considered a Review of Suspensions policy carried out by the Commissioner, with the aim of making more appropriate use of suspension in them most serious cases. We support the principles of the Review, but are mindful that this is an area of proper and acute public interest. We are aware that the IPCC have expressed major reservations about some aspects of the policy. We will keep the working of the policy under close monitoring and will liaise with the IPCC on cases and principles.

10. We have been greatly concerned at discovering the number of instances where the finding or sanction of discipline boards has been overturned by an Assistant Commissioner on the internal appeal stage, particularly in cases involving drink driving where it appears to us that reductions in sanction have been, in many cases, inappropriate and contrary to MPS and Home Office policy. We have drawn these concerns to the Commissioner’s attention, and have stated that we will look carefully at the impact of Assistant Commissioner's decisions from now on to secure the integrity of the discipline process as a whole.

Local Resolution and the use of restorative justice

11. The Committee has continued to encourage the MPS to make greater use of local resolution approaches to secure the speedy resolution of complaints. It is pleasing to report that over the year the proportion of cases finalised by local resolution has steadily increased to a level of around 43%. This trend is welcome, in that it ought to lead to increased public satisfaction as well as significant cost saving over a period of time.

12. To give further momentum to Local Resolution, we also gave our support to a proposal that Borough Commanders should have discretion to spend up to £100 in immediate reparation. This will be used in circumstances where financial recompense is considered appropriate as a gesture of goodwill to resolve a complaint or dissatisfaction.

13. The MPS reported to us on the conclusion of a pilot scheme in the use of restorative conferencing in complaint resolution. Although the number of cases dealt with had been small, the results were promising and the Committee agreed that this should be part of the local resolution toolkit across the MPS for use in appropriate cases.

14. We have noted that, within the general upward trend, there are significant variations borough by borough in the use of local resolutions. We intend to receive reports on local resolution every six months, including the use of cash reparation, to enable us to monitor how well this approach is being used across the MPS, and we will co-ordinate out monitoring with the IPCC.

Professional Standards Strategy

15. Through this year we continued to receive informative and encouraging briefings on the actions being pursued to implement the MPS Professional Standards Strategy, under its five strands of activity:

• Leadership and supervision
• Security of information and intelligence
• Recognition of the diversity of our communities and staff
• Identifying and reacting to organisational and individual learning
• Maintaining the threat of detection, prevention and management of risk

16. In the year ahead, the Strategy will itself be revised, alongside the fundamental review of DPS. We look forward to engaging with DPS in that work, and we are very supportive of the emerging new emphasis on prevention.

17. We remain aware that the vast majority of police officers and police staff are honest, professional and brave, and dedicated to public service. The service must remain vigilant and skilful in identifying those few exceptions, officers and staff who are corrupt, dishonest or unethical in their behaviour. There is also a continuing threat from those who seek to corrupt our officers.

Senior Officers Conduct Sub-Committee

18. In the last 12 months, members of the Professional Standards and Complaints Committee attended seven meetings of the Authority’s Senior Officers Conduct Sub-Committee (‘SOCSC’) and dealt with a wide range of complaints, allegations and investigations concerning the conduct of senior officers of the MPS.

19. In April 2005, Members also agreed to give delegated authority to the Chief Executive amd Deputy Chief Executive to take decisions as to whether to record a complaint. It was agreed that such decisions would be taken in consultation with the Chair of the Professional Standards and Complaints Committee and would be reported at subsequent meetings of the SOCSC.

20. The revised procedure was implemented to accord with the provisions of the Police Reform Act 2002 and recommendations made by the Independent Police Complaints Commission in respect of timescales for the handling of complaints and conduct matters.

C. Race and equality impact

18. The fairness, responsiveness and proportionality of the Service are core to the work of this Committee. We intend to develop our monitoring methods, and the level of stakeholder consultation, in the year ahead to ensure that the MPA’s commitments in relation to equality and diversity are taken forward in all the work that we do.

D. Financial implications

None

E. Background papers

None.

F. Contact details

Report author(s): David Riddle, MPA.

For more information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback