3 February 2021

Staggering cost to taxpayer of lengthy IOPC investigations revealed

It is “staggering” how much Independent Office for Police Conduct investigations cost the taxpayer, Dorset Police Federation has said, after new research revealed they cost millions of pounds each year, rising at a higher rate the longer the investigation goes on.

The Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) has estimated that an IOPC investigation that lasts up to six months costs £15,101 per officer, which rises to £302,012 when it drags on for five years or more – 20 times the amount.

The costs are even higher for suspended officers, where a six-to-12-month investigation costs approximately £67,968, and after five years it is a huge £453,115 per officer. This is due to forces having to replace officers while they are suspended.

The findings have been shared with MPs on the Home Affairs Select Committee as part of its inquiry into the IOPC and the time taken to resolve complaints against police officers.

Dorset Police Federation Conduct Lead James Dimmack said: “This is a stark report that produces some truly staggering numbers. It is of course absolutely right and proper for police wrongdoing to be appropriately investigated. It is also apparent that investigations will carry a financial burden. The question this set of results poses is, why does it take so long and therefore cost so much to complete these investigations?

“The most striking figures are the exponential increases in cost where investigations last longer than six months. On reflection this is not a surprise, as in most cases all evidence available should reasonably be expected to have been gathered within this time. After this it feels like blind alleys are being explored ‘just in case’.”

James said that IOPC investigators should be held to the same high standards that police investigators work to.

He said: “We, as a police service, are at the forefront of effective investigation. We are challenged constantly to work more efficiently and make pragmatic and proportionate investigation decisions. We evaluate the evidence at every stage and decide if the investigation is viable. If it is not, we must make difficult decisions that inevitably upset people. This does not, however, make it the wrong decision.

“It feels like when the police are being investigated these sensible, considered decisions are abandoned. An investigation should be balanced, fair and objective. It should be a search for the truth, with evidence to prove or disprove an allegation.”

PFEW’s Time Limits campaign, which launched in 2019, pushes for investigations to be concluded within a year, highlighting the impact of long investigations on police officers, their families and colleagues, as well as public trust in policing.

James emphasised that the cost of lengthy investigations was not purely financial: “The staggering cost of this of course directly impacts the ability the police have to provide a greater service. It affects how PSD and IOPC can effectively target their resources to the most appropriate and important cases. It also affects how the Federation can best support its members, by attracting huge legal costs and representatives’ time. This is of course a key function, but one that comes at a colossal cost.

“The real cost here, however, is not financial. The consequences for police officers under investigation are massive. This effect is felt more widely by officers’ families, friends and of course colleagues. This is a very real issue which results in numerous officers suffering significant mental health issues purely as a result of being under investigation. When these investigations then become protracted beyond six months to a year or more, the psychological effect is, like the financial cost, exponentially increased.

“Things have improved in this area, as is well-documented. However this is only a start. We need to work together and learn together in order to make progress in this vital area.”