Case management protocol update

Report: 8
Date: 12 January 2006
By: Chief Executive and Clerk

Summary

In response to recommendations made by the Morris Inquiry, on 8 September 2005, Members approved the Case Management Protocol.

The Protocol applies to investigations being undertaken by the Directorate of Professional Standards (‘DPS’) into complaints or other allegations of misconduct against police officers. Its purpose is to enable the MPA’s Professional Standards and Complaints Committee to scrutinise cases, which have exceeded the target time frame for completion and to place a requirement on DPS to justify time taken to conduct an investigation and, if appropriate, to give reasons for the need for a continued investigation.

The purpose of this report is to update Members on the preliminary work that has been undertaken to scrutinise a selection of cases, which fall within the ‘over 120 days old’ age profile.

A. Recommendations

That members receive the report and note the initial findings.

B. Supporting information

1. At the Professional Standards and Complaints Committee (PSCC) meeting in September 2005, figures were provided for the total number of investigations which were categorised as ‘live’ as at 19.August 2005; the total figure being 776. It was further reported that the total number of ‘live’ cases in which the investigation had exceeded 120 days was 176.

2. In view of the number of cases exceeding the 120 days threshold it was agreed that, when implementing the case management protocol, the initial concentration should be upon those cases that fall within the ‘over 120 days old’ age profile.

3. To enable the MPA to fulfil its monitoring role, the Directorate of Professional Standards supply on a monthly basis a list of all current investigations. From this list a number of cases have been identified as being suitable for further scrutiny.

4. The initial selection has concentrated upon those cases, which appear from MPS’ case management records to be longstanding ‘live’ investigations, where the duration of the investigation in days total, from start to current date, is shown in case management records as 'over 1000 days old’.

5. A request for further information in respect of 13 ‘live’ investigations was subsequently submitted to the Directorate of Professional Standards.

DPS response to request for information

6. DPS have recently conducted an initial review of the 13 cases with a view to completing the Case Review Statement for each of the selected cases.

7. As a result of that review it is now apparent that a number of cases which appear to be long standing ‘live’ investigations are in reality closed cases; the investigations having been finalised years ago. In some cases, the investigation was concluded up to five years’ previously but the case was identified in case management records as ‘live’ or 'investigation pending'.

8. DPS have acknowledged that there are fundamental flaws in the accuracy of the case management data, which is as a result of a general failure on the part of Investigating Officers to update case management systems and as a consequence of a failure by the Directorate to conduct regular audits of case management records.

Remedial action

9. DPS have confirmed that in response to the inaccuracies in the case management information, the following remedial action will be undertaken:

• In response to the significant discrepancies between the actual length of the investigations and the “days total” recorded on the CDS system, DPS will undertake to recalculate the data to ensure the accuracy of future statistical information.
• That general house-keeping issues will be addressed, namely that individual officers, in particular officers within Anti-Corruption Command, will be reminded of the need to update the CDS System regularly (to note: the review has identified that data held in respect of cases under investigation by Anti Corruption Command is significantly out of date and is therefore the most likely to be unreliable).
• That the future implementation of the ‘New Way’ Model will ensure that cases are routinely screened to identify organisational learning and improvement in case management processes and data collection.

MPA follow-up

10. A further selection of ‘live’ investigation cases will be identified by the MPA and a request will be made for the completion of Case Review Statements, to include the following

1. reasons why the investigation has exceeded the target time frame,
2. an estimated completion time,
3. a description of the steps taken to ensure that the investigation is proportionate etc.

11. The next selection will concentrate on ‘live’ investigations that have exceeded 120 days, starting with the longest running and working forwards. However should Members require any further information in respect of the previous selection of cases or in relation to case management records generally that information will also be requested.

12. All information provided by DPS in response will be reported at the PSCC meeting in March 2006.

13. The expectation is that by the time the next request for information is made, MPS case management data will be accurate and will therefore enable the MPA to fulfil its responsibilities in scrutinising the reasons why DPS investigations have exceeded or are likely to exceed the target time.

C. Race and equality impact

1. The purpose of the Protocol is to ensure that individuals who are the subject of DPS investigations are treated in an equitable and proportionate matter. The Protocol reflects a recommendation of the Morris Inquiry.

2. An initial Race Equalities Impact Assessment has been conducted to ensure that the Protocol promotes equalities and does not disadvantage any of the equality target groups. Although that assessment is awaiting formal endorsement, the results have established that a high adverse/negative impact does not exist for any equality group.

D. Financial implications

In order to limit the overall cost of introducing and administering the procedure, the Case Management Protocol needs have been built around the MPS’s existing management information. Although the new arrangement increases the time spent by Members and MPA officers in undertaking their oversight role, the cost of administering the procedure will be met from the existing budget.

E. Background papers

None.

F. Contact details

Report author(s): Claire Lister, MPA

For more information contact:

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

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