Police accountability reforms to enter Parliament
The Government is to table an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill later this week to provide a presumption of anonymity for firearms officers who are subject to a criminal trial following a shooting.
This will apply during court proceedings and in media reporting up until the point of conviction.
The Home Office says the move addresses specific concerns raised during the Accountability Review about the risks firearms officers face from criminal gangs and will protect them and their families against any such threat.
Three measures to improve the timeliness and appropriateness of investigations into police use of force and the rights of victims will also be also included in the Bill:
- Aligning the threshold for referrals by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) of officers to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to that used by police when referring cases involving members of the public. This is to avoid the system being clogged up with cases, allowing greater focus and swifter resolution of those that are referred;
- Speeding up processes by allowing the IOPC to send cases to the CPS where there is sufficient evidence, prior to their final investigation report; and
- Putting the IOPC victims’ right to review policy on a statutory footing to ensure the voices of victims and their families are heard.
The measures are designed to tackle unacceptable delays and confusion in the system, to ensure that the complexity of specialist operations is considered at an early stage, and that the highest standards within policing are upheld and maintained.
The reforms were set out by the Home Secretary to Parliament in October to help rebuild confidence for police officers and communities.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “The proud British tradition of policing by consent depends on mutual bonds of trust between the police and the communities they serve. That’s why we have set out an ambitious package of measures to rebuild both public trust in policing and the confidence of police officers in their vital work to keep the public safe.
“Police officers in specialist roles who make split-second decisions to keep the public safe must have the confidence to carry out their duties, knowing that the systems which hold them to account for their decisions are fair.
“Too often those processes have involved unacceptable delays and confusion, which has been damaging both for the police and the public. These changes will help to boost confidence that the system will work swiftly and effectively for all those involved.”
The Accountability Review found that the current system for holding police officers to account is not commanding the confidence of either the public or the police, with misconduct proceedings too often plagued by delays stretching for years, which is damaging for complainants, police officers and police forces alike.
Alongside the changes being made in the Crime and Policing Bill, the Director for Public Prosecutions has already completed a review of CPS guidance and processes in relation to charging police officers for offences committed in the course of their duties. Revised guidance provides greater clarity for prosecutors, ensuring the dynamic and fast-changing nature of specialist policing decisions are taken into account when charging decisions are made.
Metropolitan Police Service Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said: “The progress that has been made on vital accountability reform should be welcomed. In particular, I am very pleased to see that the previous commitment on anonymity for firearms officers subject to criminal trials is going to be introduced as an amendment to legislation going through Parliament.
“We know further reform is needed if officers are to have full confidence in the system that holds them to account but alongside our policing partners we are working positively and constructively with the government and that work will continue.”
Lead of the National Police Chiefs’ Council Operations Coordination Committee and the senior responsible officer for the Accountability Review, Chief Constable BJ Harrington, said: “We welcome today’s announcement. These are positive changes which will ensure that the public interest is served, and that police officers and staff will have the confidence to protect the public and uphold the law.
“Everyone in policing expects to be held to account for their actions and use of powers. However, too often we hear of the devastating, and often disproportionate, impact on officers, staff and their families after they have stepped forward with courage and professionalism on behalf of the public.
“Whether it’s an issue concerning use of force, death following contact with the police, police driving or where officers are alleged to have broken the law, it is important that the accountability mechanism is swift, balanced, and fair. This in turn will give our people the confidence to fulfil their duties, and the public confidence in their professionalism and decision making.
“We remain determined to get police accountability right and we will support government to improve the current accountability system to ensure community support, and importantly, to give police officers and staff the knowledge that where they act, to do the right things for the right reasons, they have the support to do their job of tackling crime and protecting the public.”