Minutes

Minutes of the Professional Standards and Complaints Committee of the Metropolitan Police Authority held on 13 September  2007 at 10 Dean Farrar Street, London SW1H 0NY.

Present

Members

• Reshard Auladin (Chair)
• Damian Hockney
• Elizabeth Howlett (Deputy Chair)
• Karim Murji
• John Roberts
• Richard Sumray
• Rachel Whittaker

MPA officers

• Claire Lister (Professional Standards Officer)
• David Riddle (Deputy Chief Executive and Solicitor to the Authority)
• Hamida Ali (Policy Development Officer, Race and Diversity Unit)
• Ruth Hasting Iqball (Committee Services)

MPS officers

• Paul McGregor (Superintendent, DPS)
• Stuart Osborne (Commander, DPS)
• Eleanor Ryan (Deputy Director, HR Services)
• Peter Spindler (Det Ch Supt Peter Spindler, Intelligence Command, DPS).
  
  Also present; Deborah Glass (Commissioner, IPCC).

21. Apologies for absence

(Agenda item 1)

Apologies for absence were received from Jenny Jones and Tony Arbour (members).

22. Declarations of interests

(Agenda item 2)

No declarations of interests were received from members.

23. Minutes of Professional Standards and Complaints Committee: 19 July 2007

(Agenda item 3)

Members considered the minutes of the Professional Standards and Complaints Committee meeting on 19 July 2007.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the Professional Standards and Complaints Committee meeting held on 19 July 2007 be signed and agreed as a correct record.

24. MINUTES OF PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS CASES SUB COMMITTEE (PART 1): 19 JULY 2007 AND 31 JULY 2007 (SPECIAL MEETING)

(Agenda item 4)

The Committee were asked to note the minutes of the Professional Standards Cases Sub-Committee meetings held on 19 and 31 July 2007.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of Professional Standards Cases Sub Committee (part 1): 19 July 2007 and 31 July (special meeting) be noted.

25. COMPLAINTS MANAGEMENT INFORMATION

(Agenda item 5)

Members received a report on complaints management information for the 12- months to July 2007, focusing on the key changes or exceptions within the data. The report indicated an increase of 9% in the number of public complaint allegations being recorded over the past 12 months from a monthly rolling average of 628 to 694. The number of conduct matters allegations recorded over the same period showed only minor variation, the monthly average being 92 per month. The average number of days to complete a public complaint investigation remained below the threshold of 90-days. The average number of days to complete an investigation into a conduct matters remained below the threshold of 90-days. The average number of days between the decision and the holding of a misconduct hearing or final disposal was now below the threshold of 100 days and was 76 days in July 2007.

The Chair expressed concern about the use of the word aspirational in relation to targets, as he felt targets set should be achievable. Members suggested that it might be helpful to move from month by month report to reporting by quarter. The Commander, DPS, confirmed that further information on discontinuances would be provided in the next management information report. The Commissioner, IPCC, stated that she was willing to look at targets with the DPS and report back to the Committee (when??)

A member asked if the information available on how to complain following a stop and search had led to more complaints. The Commander, DPS, offered a report on complaints relating to stop and search, but reported that there were no apparent spikes in the figures.

Members then went on to discuss the contents of appendix 1 of the report, complaints management data in relation to family group 5, the boroughs of Greenwich, Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea, Lewisham, Waltham Forest and Wandsworth. It was noted that Hammersmith and Fulham had almost twice the group average of ‘stop and search’ related allegations. The reasons behind this were being investigated. It was suggested that it could be linked to lack of training, inexperienced officers, or the presence of three professional football clubs in the borough. The completed reports on each borough would be provided to the MPA’s Professional Standards Officer, once shared with BOCU senior management teams.

The Chair suggested that borough commanders be invited to a meeting of the Professional Standards and Complaints Committee, together with representatives of staff associations to speak about their experience of interaction with DPS and local resolution. He stressed that borough commanders would not be questioned on the performance of their borough in relation to complaints. The Commander, DPS, stated that he would welcome this.

RESOLVED – That the report and the illustration of trends in the report and the Borough performance information contained in Appendices 1 and 2 be noted.

26. UPDATE ON PROGRESS OF REVIEW OF DIRECTORATE OF PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS’ CORE BUSINESS ACTIVITIES

(Agenda item 6)

A report was received setting out the progress in respect of the recently commenced review of the Directorate of Professional Standards core business activities and the strategic programme of work for the next 24 months. It was noted that Accident Claims Branch would move from control of DPS to the Directorate of Legal Services (DLS) in October. The DPS’s IT would be integrated with that of the rest of the MPS, with requisite firewalls. The Directorate would also assume a single corporate identity and market itself to staff better. The Chair asked about the resources implication of the new misconduct procedures arising from the Taylor report. It was reported that savings would be identified. In answer to questions, members were informed that DLS was submitted a report to the Co-ordination and Policing Committee twice yearly.

RESOLVED – That the progress made in respect of the review since its inception in June 2007 and the proposed strategic programme of development for the next 24 months be noted.

27. CASE MANAGEMENT PROTOCOL UPDATE

(Agenda item 7)

This report, introduced by the Professional Standards Officer, provided members with an update on the operation of the Case Management Protocol. The Protocol, which was formally agreed in September 2005, reflected a recommendation of the Morris Inquiry and applied to ‘live’ investigations undertaken by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) into public complaints or other allegations of misconduct against police officers and police staff. Its purpose was to enable the MPA’s Professional Standards and Complaints Committee to scrutinise cases that had exceeded the target timeframe for completion and place a requirement on the MPS to justify the time taken to conduct an investigation and, if appropriate, to give reasons for the need for a continued investigation.

The Professional Standards Officer stated that the Human Resources (HR) Directorate appeared to be encountering difficulty in dealing with public complaints and conduct matters relating to police staff. The Deputy Director, HR Services, stated that the Directorate had had problems monitoring investigations, as had not the IT to do this. HR units now had access to the Tribune, which was used to monitor complaints. The HR Directorate had now employed four practise managers to clear the backlog of complaints. She suggested that the HR Directorate report to this Committee twice yearly, commencing in December, providing management information on the handling of public complaints or other allegations of misconduct against police staff. (Note. The report will be received in January, as there is no Committee in December). The Commissioner, IPCC noted that the IPCC did not differ between complaints against police and police staff. The Deputy Director, HR Services, stated that the MPS had to deal with police staff differently as police staff were employed under employment law and police under police regulations. The Commissioner, IPCC, added that she had regular meetings with the DPS on this matter and felt that the HR Directorate should be invited to these meetings, making them tripartite.

Members suggested that dip sampling by the MPA of the public’s reaction to their dealings with DPS over complaint handling should take place. It was noted that this would have to be done sensitively and be made clear to the complainants that their investigations would not be reopened.

In relation to the praise in the report for the Investigation Command Southwest, it was noted that its excellent was in part because the command was fully staffed during this period.

RESOLVED – That

1. members receive the report and note the findings; and

2. the HR Directorate be invited to report, jointly with the DPS, to the Committee six monthly on its management of public complaints and discipline cases involving both police and police staff.

28. RESTRICTED DUTIES

(Agenda item 8)

Members received a report explaining how current Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) concerning the suspension and restriction of police officers were implemented within the MPS and detailing the mechanism for reviewing restricted duties decisions. It informed them of the proposed revisions being considered which aimed to ensure a more unified approach across the MPS. The next step would be to consult ACPO on the proposals.

Although the decision to restrict or suspend an officer laid with the Commissioner, the Commissioner, IPCC, requested that the IPCC should be consulted. Members praised the document, which recognised the impact suspension could have on the life and career of an officer. They felt this should be stressed more in the report. They felt that unless there was an overriding public interest, suspension should be the final option. Members also felt there should be public understanding of the SOPs and the Chair suggested that a leaflet be prepared for Family Liaison Officers explaining the procedure.

In answer to members’ questions, the commander DPS explained that a request to have a business interest by a suspended officer would be treated the same as for a serving officer.

RESOLVED – That the approach taken by the DPS in implementing the policy be noted and the proposed approach to be adopted in making decisions as to when restrictions should be imposed be considered.

29. AMENDMENT TO STANDING ORDERS

(Agenda item 9)

In July 2007, the Professional Standards Cases Sub Committee agreed to delegate decision making in some police pension forfeiture cases to the Deputy Chief Executive and Solicitor to the Authority, in consultation with the Chair of the Sub Committee, without reference to Sub Committee members. Such a decision required an amendment to Standing Orders.

RESOLVED – That the proposed amendment to Standing Orders be approved.

30. Exclusion of press and public

(Agenda item 10

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) 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.

31. MINUTES OF PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS CASES SUB COMMITTEE (PART 2): 19 JULY 2007 AND 21 JULY 2007 (SPECIAL MEETING) – TO NOTE

(Agenda item 11)

RESOLVED – That the minutes of Professional Standards Cases Sub Committee (part 2): 19 July 2007 and 31 July (special meeting) be noted.

32. SUMMARY OF SUSPENDED POLICE OFFICERS AS AT 23 AUGUST 2007

(Agenda item 12)

A report was received stating that since how many officers had been suspended since the last PSCC meeting in July 2007. The report also contained details of suspended police staff.

RESOLVED – That the summary of information contained in the report be noted.

33. DPS STRATEGIC INTELLIGENCE ASSESSMENT

(Agenda item 13)

The Committee received a report that updated members on corruption trends and key strategic issues that had arisen out of DPS’s Interim Strategic Intelligence Assessment presented in July 2007. Five key themes were identified for the 2007/8 DPS Control Strategy, which will be incorporated into the DPS Planning and Risk Register. The report also detailed control mechanisms, policies and procedures that had been implemented or were planned to be implemented addressing identified risks and prevention requirements

As some members were new to this particular Committee members were provided with an overview of the work of the command.

RESOLVED – That the report describing the issues arising from the Interim Strategic Intelligence Assessment and the control measures put in place to address them be noted.

The meeting ended at 4.10 pm

The meeting was followed by a presentation on excited delirium (acute behavioural disturbance).

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