Minutes - draft

Please note these minutes are currently draft and are subject to committee approval.

Minutes of the Professional Standards and Complaints Committee of the Metropolitan Police Authority held on 10 November 2005 at 10 Dean Farrar Street, London SW1H 0NY.

Present

Members

• Reshard Auladin (Chair)
• Karim Murji (Deputy Chair)
• Damian Hockney
• Elizabeth Howlett
• Richard Sumray

MPA officers

• David Riddle (Deputy Chief Executive and Clerk)
• Claire Lister (Professional Standards Officer)
• Nick Baker (Head of Committee Services)

MPS officers

• AC Sue Akers
• AC Alan Brown
• Carl Bussey (DPS)

Also present: Deborah Glass (IPCC Commissioner) (items 1-12).

18. Apologies

(Agenda item 1)

Apologies for absence were received from Tony Arbour and Jenny Jones

19. Declarations of interests from members of the committee

(Agenda item 2)

No declarations of interests were given by members.

20. Minutes

(Agenda item 3)

The Committee received the minutes of the in-quorate Professional Standards and Complaints Committee meeting held on 8 September 2005 (Part 1).

Resolved – That the minutes of the in-quorate Professional Standards and Complaints Committee meeting held on 9 June 2005 (Part 1) be agreed and signed as a correct record.

21. Chair’s and members’ update (oral report)

(Agenda item 4)

No updates given. The Committee agreed to remove this item from future agenda.

Resolved – That the report be noted and that this item be removed from future agenda.

22. Complaints management information

(Agenda item 5)

The Committee received a report that gave data for the 12 months to September 2005, which focused on the key changes or exceptions within the data as trends are slow to change.

It was reported that there had been a 17% increase in the number of public complaint allegations being recorded over the past 12-month period. For the same period, there had been a 5% increase in the number of conduct matter allegations recorded from 78 to 84. In relation to timeliness, the average number of days to complete a full public complaint investigation remained below the target of 120 days. For the period October 2004 to September 2005, the reduction was 26% (125 days to 93 days). It was reported that the number of days to complete an investigation into conduct matters had also fallen below the 120 days target. The reduction was by 55% from 191 days (October 2004) to 85 days (September 2005. For misconduct hearings, there was a 44% reduction from 132 days (October 2004) to 87 days (September 2005).

The MPS, in providing complaints management information, reported that the decline in timeliness of processing complaints was a result of the increasing use of local resolution. As part of the ‘Taylor report’ and the Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS) Review, usage of and training for local resolution was being promoted within boroughs.

The Committee agreed that the presentation of information relevant to public complaints and conduct matters in future reports should be reviewed. Members favoured presentation of regional information, but also requested the information be provided based on a ‘borough cluster’ basis. Arising from this discussion, the MPS agreed that it was important that this information was made available to borough commanders.

The report also provided members with details on the replacement of the complaints and discipline system (DPS) with the ‘tribune system’, of which one of the benefits included the electronic transfer of data to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

Deborah Glass from the IPCC reported to the Committee on how the IPCC wished to feed into the Committee complaints data. As part of her presentation, details on referrals of complaints were outlined as was the appeal process. In welcoming the proposals, members raised concerns on the number of ‘racial discrimination referrals’ being referred back to the MPS. A recommendation was made for provision of further information from the IPCC in relation to referrals made by the MPS concerning allegations of racial discrimination. Commander Akers confirmed that she would be consulting the IPCC in the near future with a view to seeking an explanation of the handling of complaints, which include allegations of racial discrimination.

Resolved – That members note the report and the illustration of trends given at Appendix 1 of the report;

23. Update on the programme for the fundamental review of the Directorate of Professional Standards

(Agenda item 6)

The Committee received a report on the current review of the Directorate of Professional Standards.

The report outlined an aspirational professional standards new way model, which is made up a number of key features in the delivery of improved professional standards. Confirmation was given that the implementation of the review was planned for April 2006.

Members, in noting the report, requested that at the next meeting of the Committee they receive a report on the prevention areas of the new model.

Resolved – That

1. members note the progress in respect of the fundamental review of the DPS; and
2. at its next meeting the Committee receive a report on prevention issues of the new model for professional standards.

24. Directorate of Professional Standards – Strategic Impact Assessment

(Agenda item 7)

This item was deferred to the next meeting of the Committee

Resolved – That the report be deferred to the next meeting of the Committee.

25. Case Management Model update (oral report)

(Agenda item 8)

Members received an oral update on progress being made on complaint cases that were over 120-days.

It was noted that there were approximately 250 cases that had been under investigation for 120 days or more. The Deputy Chief Executive reported that the intention was to review these cases in groups of ten until all cases falling within the 120 days category had been the subject of examination and evaluation.

A report detailing the outcome of the initial review of cases would be provided to the next meeting of the Committee. It was further agreed that, in advance of the next meeting, the Chair and Deputy Chair of the Professional Standards Committee would be provided with the details of the outcome of the initial review of cases.

Resolved – That the Committee receive a further report on case management model update to its next meeting.

26. Internal Audit of Complaints – Summary of final report

(Agenda item 9)

The Committee received a report on a comprehensive review of the policies and procedures for dealing with public complaints within the MPS, which had been undertaken as part of the MPA’s 2004/05 Internal Audit Plan.

Resolved – That the Committee note the audit objectives, findings and key recommendations.

27. Cambridge University research into disproportionality

(Agenda item 10)

At the Professional Standards and Complaints Committee meeting on 8 September, the members received an update report that gave details on the interim findings on the research into disproportionality being undertaken by Cambridge University.

Members now received a further update report. It was noted that since the last meeting, meetings had taken place with the Metropolitan Black Police Association and the Metropolitan Police Sikh Association. Members were given details of the outcomes of these meetings, which included a differing of attitudes and beliefs regarding the cause of disproportionality from different ethnic backgrounds.

It was noted that the substantive findings would be presented to the January meeting of the Committee.

Resolved – That the substantive findings of the research into disproportionality be presented to the next meeting of the Committee.

28. Outcomes and actions arising from the Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board meeting on 6 October 2005

(Agenda item 11)

A report was considered that provided a brief overview of the discussions, which took place at the Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board (EODB) meeting on 6 October 2005.

It was reported that a number of recommendations had been made by the EODB and the Committee would need to consider how to take these forward and request a further report to the next meeting. In addition, the Chair supported the development of improving the Committee’s engagement with stakeholders and suggested that stakeholder involvement be included in future meetings.

Members also requested that the Committee should receive periodically information specifically in relation to diversity issues.

Resolved - That

1. a further report on the recommendations of the EODB meeting on the 6 October be presented to the next meeting of the Committee;
2. the Committee work programme include the development of engagement with stakeholders at future meetings; and
3. the Committee receive periodically information specifically in relation on diversity issues.

29. Dip sampling and case management information

(Agenda item 12)

A report was considered that informed members of the review, undertaken by MPA officers, of MPS closed public complaints.

Discussion on the cases presented was taken in Part 2 of the meeting.

Members supported the process of reviewing closed public complaint files and in doing so acknowledged that in this instance the MPS would need further time to consider and respond to the outcome of MPA officers’ assessment of closed cases.

As part of the process, members recommended that the Committee receive a six monthly synopsis of cases considered.

Resolved – That

1. the process for considering closed public complaint files be agreed; and
2. the Committee receive a six monthly synopsises of cases considered.

30. Exclusion of press and public

(Agenda item 13)

A resolution was put to exclude the press and public from the meeting during remaining items on the agenda as it was likely to disclose exempt information as described in Schedule 12(a) (1 and 14) of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

Resolved - That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during discussion of the remaining items on the agenda.

Summary of exempt items

31. Dip sampling of public complaints

(Agenda item 12)

Members considered detailed information relating to closed public complaints.

32. Summary of suspended officers

(Agenda item 14)

The Committee considered a report that summarised details relating to suspended officers.

33. Summary of exceptional and significant case results

(Agenda item 15)

A report was received that summarised exceptional and significant results.

34. Minutes (Part 2)

(Agenda item 16)

Members received the minutes (Part 2) of the in-quorate Committee meeting held on 8 September 2005.

35. Application for funding for legal representation

(Urgent item)

The Chair agreed on the grounds of urgency, that the Committee should consider an application for funding for legal representation.

The Committee closed at 4.10 pm

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