Minutes - draft

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

Minutes of the Professional Standards Cases Sub-committee of the Metropolitan Police Authority held on 18 May 2006 at 10 Dean Farrar Street, London SW1H 0NY.

Present

Members

• Anthony Arbour
• Reshard Auladin
• Cindy Butts
• Damien Hockney
• Elizabeth Howlett
• Karim Murji
• Aneeta Prem
• John Roberts
• Richard Sumray (item 1-7)
• Rachael Whittaker

MPA officers

• Claire Lister (Head of Professional Standards)
• Kalyanee Mendelsohn (Professional Standards)
• Ruth Hastings Iqball (Committee Section)

MPS officers

• Sue Akers (Commander, Directorate of Professional Standards) (item 1-7)
• Dick Fedorcio (Director, Directorate of Public Affairs) (item 1-7)
• Dan Maskell Press Officer, Directorate of Public Affairs) (item 1-7)

6. Election of Chair

(Agenda item 1)

Resolved – That Reshard Auladin be appointed Chair for this meeting.

7. Apologies for absence

(Agenda item 2)

No apologies for absence were received.

8. Declarations of interests

(Agenda item 3)

No declarations of interest were received.

9. Minutes of the Senior Officers Conduct Sub-Committee (Part 1): 9 February 2006 and 24 March 2006 (special meeting)

(Agenda item 4)

Resolved - That the minutes of the meeting of the Senior Officers Conduct Sub-Committee (Part 1) for 9 February 2006 and 24 March 2006 (a special Meeting) be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

10. Minutes of the Police Pensions Forfeiture Sub Committee (Part 1): 23 March 2006

(Agenda item 5)

Resolved - That the minutes of the meeting of the Police Pensions Forfeiture Sub Committee (Part 1): 23 March 2006 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

11. Minutes of a special meeting of the Professional Standards Cases Sub Committee (Part 1): 3 May 2006

(Agenda item 6)

Resolved - That the minutes of a special meeting of the Professional Standards Cases Sub Committee (Part 1): 3 May 2006 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

12. MPS press office involvement in publicising the conviction of a police officer

(Agenda item 7)

Members received a report detailing the Directorate of Professional Standards’ (DPS) Media and Communication Strategy, which had been drawn up in consultation with the Directorate of Public Affairs (DPA). The Strategy outlined policy and procedures for dealing with media interest in all DPS matters, including the conviction of a police officer. The report had been received in response to concerns of the former Police Pensions Forfeiture Sub Committee, as the extent of publicity and media coverage was one of the factors Home Office guidance suggested should be taken into account when a police authority considered police pension forfeiture cases. Members however noted that media coverage formed only part of the guidelines and other factor had equal or greater weight.

Members agreed with the Director of DPA’s view that regardless of MPS press releases media coverage of any occurrence was very dependent on media interest and competing stories. However it was agreed that the press log relating to a police pension forfeiture case would be attached to the report in future.

The Commander, DPS, assured members that Senior Investigating Officers would be informed that media coverage was a factor in decisions concerning police pension forfeiture. However, members recognised the MPS’s need to publicise such cases as examples of the MPS’s commitment to maintaining the highest professional standards amongst its officers and public confidence. They also agreed that officers needed to be kept aware that conviction might lead to forfeiture of pension.

Members having recognised that as press coverage could not be controlled, that it was not in the interests of a police service to not issue press releases in such cases and that it was a subjective factor when considering police pension forfeiture, agreed that a request should be made to the Home Office to review its guidelines.

Resolved – That

1. the contents of the Directorate of Professional Standards Media and Communication Strategy be noted;
2. police pension forfeiture reports, in future, include the relevant press log; and
3. a letter be written to the Home Office requesting that its guidelines in relation to publicity and media coverage be reviewed.

13. Exclusion of press and public

(Agenda item 8)

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

14. Minutes of the Senior Officers Conduct Sub-Committee (Part 2): 9 February 2006 and 24 March 2006 (special meeting)

(Agenda item 9)

The minutes of the meeting of the Senior Officers Conduct Sub-Committee (Part 2) for 9 February 2006 and 24 March 2006 (a special meeting) were confirmed and signed as a correct record.

15. Minutes of the Police Pensions Forfeiture Sub Committee (Part 2): 23 March 2006

(Agenda item 10)

The minutes of the meeting of the Police Pensions Forfeiture Sub Committee (Part 2): 23 March 2006 were confirmed and signed as a correct record.

16. Minutes of a special meeting of the Professional Standards Cases Sub Committee (Part 2): 3 May 2006

(Agenda item 11)

The minutes of the meeting of the Professional Standards Cases Sub Committee (Part 2): 3 May 2006 were confirmed and signed as a correct record.

17. Forfeiture of police pension - application for a certificate

(Agenda item 12)

Members agreed that the ex officer’s conviction was in connection with the ex officer’s service as police officer; and an application be made to the Home Secretary for the issue of a certificate of forfeiture.

18. Oral update on cases resulting from Operation Helios

(Agenda item 13)

As the Deputy Clerk and Solicitor to the Authority was unable to attend the Sub Committee this item was deferred to the next meeting.

The meeting ended at 1:20 p.m.

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