Home Secretary Introduces Major Police Accountability Reforms

Announced today to address longstanding concerns and boost public confidence in the police accountability system, the UK Home Secretary has unveiled a series of reforms aimed at improving the timeliness, appropriateness, and transparency of police investigations and misconduct processes.

Streamlining Investigation Processes

One of the main reforms will focus on speeding up the investigation processes between the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

The government plans to legislate for three critical measures:

•  Aligning Referral Thresholds: The threshold for IOPC referrals of officers to the CPS will be aligned with that used for cases involving members of the public. This change is designed to avoid clogging the system with unnecessary cases, allowing for greater focus and swifter resolution of referred cases.
• Early Evidence Submission: The IOPC will be allowed to send cases to the CPS where there is sufficient evidence, even before the final investigation report is completed. This will expedite the process and ensure that cases are dealt with more efficiently.
• Statutory Victims’ Right to Review: The IOPC’s victims’ right to review policy will be put on a statutory footing, ensuring that the voices of victims and their families are heard and their rights are protected.

Protecting Firearms Officers

To address the unique challenges faced by firearms officers, the government will introduce legislation to create a presumption of anonymity for these officers who are charged with offences related to their duties.

This anonymity will be preserved until the point of conviction, while allowing for judicial discretion in individual cases. This measure aims to protect officers and their families from potential criminal targeting.

Improving Vetting and Misconduct Procedures

The reforms also include measures to strengthen police misconduct and performance regimes.

Changes will include:

•  Automatic Gross Misconduct Finding: Officers convicted of certain criminal offences will automatically be found to have committed gross misconduct.
•  Presumption of Dismissal: There will be a presumption of dismissal where there is a finding of gross misconduct.
• Fast-Track Hearings: Fast-track hearings will be presumed for former officers, ensuring quicker resolution of misconduct cases.
• Streamlined Performance System: The performance system for individual officers will be streamlined to ensure more efficient management of officer performance.
• Vetting Standards: Police vetting will be overhauled following the Angiolini Inquiry’s Part 1 report, ensuring consistent and high standards across all police forces.

Enhancing Public Confidence

To further improve public confidence, the Home Secretary will establish a wider review to address systemic barriers to timeliness in the misconduct system.

This review, set to begin in early 2025 and report back by the end of the same year, will consider lessons from other countries and aim to improve the overall accountability system.

Additionally, the Attorney General has invited the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to review CPS guidance and processes related to charging police officers for offences committed in the course of their duties. This review is expected to conclude by the end of 2024.

Updating Investigation Guidance

Guidance on police driving incident investigations will be updated. Consequently, investigators will be required to consult subject matter experts early and review in-car video footage promptly.

This will help expedite investigations and ensure they are conducted more effectively.

“The new reforms are a significant step towards restoring public trust in our police forces. By streamlining processes and ensuring transparency, we are committed to making our policing system more accountable and efficient,” said the Home Secretary.

Reforms at a Glance

In Conclusion

Sources: THX News, Home Office & The Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP.