Minutes

Minutes of the Professional Standards & Complaints Committee of the Metropolitan Police Authority held on 17 October 2002 at 10 Dean Farrar Street, London, SW1H 0NY.

Present

Members:

• Reshard Auladin (Chair)
• Elizabeth Howlett (Deputy Chair)
• Richard Sumray
• Graham Tope
• Rachel Whittaker

Also present: Tony Arbour.

MPA Officers:

• Catherine Crawford (Clerk)
• Alan Johnson (Head of Human Resources and Professional Standards)
• Nick Baker (Committee Services)

MPS Officers:

• Ian Blair (Deputy Commissioner)
• Philip Hagon (Commander, Directorate of Professional Standards)

Part 1

21. Apologies

(Agenda item 1)

Apologies for absence were received from Cecile Wright and Jennette Arnold.

22. Declarations of interests from members of the committee

(Agenda item 2)

No declarations of interests were given by members.

23. Minutes of meeting held on 17 October 2002

(Agenda item 3)

The Committee received the minutes of the meeting held on 17 October 2002.

The Clerk confirmed that a review of the operation of the ACPO Conduct Sub-Committee is continuing and dates would be sought foe fixed meetings during the remainder of the committee calendar year.

Resolved – That the minutes of the Professional Standards and Complaints Committee meeting held on 17 October 2002 agreed and signed as a correct record.

24. Chair’s and Members’ update

(Agenda item 4)

Members were invited to give any update or details of work they had undertaken since the last meeting in relation to the work of this Committee. No reports were given.

25. Lead Member roles

(Agenda item 5)

The Committee received a report at invited members to consider whether it wishes to make any appointment to lead member roles for subject areas within its terms of reference.

Resolved – That the Committee members noted the report and did not wish to add to the existing list.

26. Complaints management information

(Agenda item 6)

The Committee received a report that gave details of key changes or exceptions within complaint management information data. The report outlined data for the period May to October 2002/03 and focused on key changes or exceptions within data as the nature of the figures and emerging trends are slow to change. The report gave details of key performance indicators, public complaints, timeliness CPS decisions and PCA decisions. The report also gave details of suspended officers, misconduct hearings and decisions and details of grievances.

It was noted that MPS officers would be meeting with the recently appointed chair of the new Independent Police Complaints Commission where many of members concerns and issues would be discussed.

Members noted the progress made to police officers disciplinary matters, particularly the officer sanctioning guidelines and the undertaking that they be included in the consultation process currently being undertaken.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

27. MPS Professional Standards Strategy progress on Strand 5

(Agenda item 7)

Members received a report that outlined the progress relating to the maintaining the threat of detection, prevention and management of risk – strand 5.

The report was accompanied by a presentation, which outlined the re-launched and re-focused MPS corruption and dishonesty strategy, which was launched in August 2002.
Members raised several points including:

• clarification of the Home Office definition of death of a member of the public during or following police contact and following this re-definition, details of any increase be made to the Committee in due course.
• the need for the development of options for carrying out a similar process for civil staff investigations;
• the need to develop an improved system of engaging ACPO officers in disciplinaries; and
• possible introduction of use of conciliators/development of informal resolutions in complaints.

Members noted the improvements in the current system and suggested that the model could be in future used by other police services and if so, that it is developed as a product.

Resolved – That members note the content of the report describing the progress on strand 5 of the MPS Professional Standards Strategy - maintaining the threat of detection, prevention and management of risk.

28. Exclusion of press and public

(Agenda item 8)

A resolution was put to exclude the press and public from the meeting during item 8 as it was likely to disclose exempt information as described in Schedule 12(a) (1) of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

Resolved – That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during discussion of agenda item 9.

Part 2

29. Yearly summary of exceptional and significant compensation case results

(Agenda item 9)

The Committee received a summary of compensation cases and received a model on the format used for reporting exceptional and significant cases on a regular basis to the MPA.

An update on ACPO officer conduct issues was given and noted. Members requested a change in format to future presentations of this information.

Resolved- - That the report be noted.

The meeting closed at 4.25 p.m.

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