GMP Federation Chairman: We need the new Government to deal with timescales on IOPC investigations

29 November 2019

“I would like whoever happens to be the Home Secretary in a few weeks’ time … to deal with the IOPC and maximum timescales for investigations.”

Stu Berry, Chairman of Greater Manchester Police Federation, wants whichever party is in power following December’s General Election to look urgently at reforming the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

Stu said: "I think the IOPC is one of the biggest welfare risks to our members. While I do welcome the fact that we are getting more Tasers, and they are starting to look at welfare, in terms of the powers its been given, it’s just not good enough.

“The IOPC needs to reform urgently and we need to look at maximum timescales for investigations. It can’t be right that an NI team can deal with a murder in less time than IOPC can deal with an alleged assault by a police officer. It beggar’s belief.

“That’s what I would like whoever happens to be the Home Secretary in a few weeks’ time, to deal with on behalf of the police. Otherwise, we’re just wallpapering over the cracks and dealing with welfare issues that shouldn’t have appeared in the first place.”

Stu also wants to ensure recruitment to the police focuses on quality, and not just quantity.

“We’re going to struggle like everyone else, attracting our proportion of 20,000 police officers. The only thing I would like us to look at from our own police service is direct entry; Police Now schemes of that ilk, where there is a rush to fill positions quickly.

“My concern is what are we filing those with and what issues will they cause officers, the public and the service, in future years. We need to maintain quality rather than quantity.”