Working party on complaints and discipline

Report: 9
Date: 8 May 2001
By: Clerk

Summary

At its meeting on 13 February, PSPM considered a number of recommendations in respect of the Home Office proposals concerning the reform of the police complaints procedure. This issue was subsequently discussed at the Association of Police Authorities (APA) Personnel Issues Group on 27 March and a proposal made that a small sub-group be set up to develop the reform proposals.

A. Recommendations.

1. That the PSPM note the APA paper at Appendix 1; and
2. That the PSPM nominate one of its members to sit on the APA working sub group.

B. Supporting information

1. At it's meeting on 13 February, the Professional Standards and Performance Monitoring Committee (PSPM) agreed the following recommendations:

• complaints concerning the direction and control of the a force should continue to be within the police authority's remit;
• complaints against ACPO ranks should be investigated or supervised by the IPCC only after the MPA has determined that investigation is appropriate;
• allegations of serious corruption involving police officers and serious arrestable offences allegedly committed by a police officer should not automatically be referred to the IPCC;
• police forces should acknowledge where errors have been made or police officers have acted improperly in all cases where appropriate;
• police authorities maintain a list of trained, independent people to be members of police discipline panels.

2. At the APA Personnel Issues Group on 27 March, there was a discussion of the Home Office consultation paper. A copy of the report to the APA is attached at Appendix 1.

3. The APA paper noted that police authorities already have a statutory responsibility to oversee complaints and discipline issues locally. The implementation of the new proposals for handling complaints has brought this responsibility into sharper focus and an agreement has been reached that the APA and HMIC should look at the handling of complaints against direction and control issues.

4. It was agreed that the APA should initiate work to look at current practice by police authorities in overseeing complaints and discipline matters with a view to issuing good practice guidance later this year.

5. It was also agreed to establish a small sub-group involving members and advisers to take this work forward.

C. Financial implications

It is not clear what, if any, will be the financial implications for police authorities.

D. Background papers

• Complaints against the police: a consultation paper (May 2000)
• APA response to the Home Office – complaints against police (APA circular 37/2000)
• Complaints against police – framework for a new system (December 2000)
• Report to PSPM - MPA's views on proposals to reform the investigation of complaints against police officers -  13 February 2001

E. Contact details

The author of this report is Alan Johnson.

For information contact:

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

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