IPCC investigators require fuller training
Fuller training should be given to Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) investigators and better quality control must be implemented according to a report released by the National Audit Office (NAO).
Fuller training should be given to Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) investigators and better quality control must be implemented according to a report released by the National Audit Office (NAO).
The report indicates that IPCC casework staff dealing with the administrative aspects of the investigations have more comprehensive training and manuals than investigators conducting independent investigations.
The NAO criticises the IPCC for not providing full guidance and training for its staff and recommends it develops a comprehensive manual for investigators.
Investigators currently undergo full-time accredited training over a period of six weeks; this will be relaunched in 2008/09 to ensure it is tailored to the needs and previous experience of new investigators. Training for casework staff began in April this year, but it is thought that all staff will not have completed their training until March 2010.
Further criticism from the NAO was made of the IPCCs quality control. The report stated that it was difficult to gain assurance of the quality of the IPCCs work because of a lack of objective assessment of investigative work. The IPCCs quality control procedures were described as underdeveloped and inconsistently applied. Quality control reform is, however, one of the IPCCs objectives in its 2008/09 business plan.
IPCC investigations are expected to be overseen by commissioners not involved with the case and self-assessments of the progress of investigations are also required. The IPCCs own statistics, however, show only 55 per cent of the 100 independent investigations carried out in 2007/08 received the required self-assessment. The NAO found no auditable record of commissioners signing-off investigations in 25 per cent of cases.
Based on these findings the NAO recommends that the IPCC streamlines its self-assessment process which is deemed too lengthy and that senior investigators should complete self-inspection assessments for all independent investigations at least once. It also calls for commissioners to provide written evidence that they have reviewed and agree to the conclusions and recommendations of the senior investigators report.
The report does commend the IPCC on its progress in making the police complaints process more accessible and transparent.