Fed chair welcomes IOPC chief’s pledge to work with Federation

5 March 2020

Hertfordshire branch chair Geoff Bardell says the Federation will continue to push for investigations by the police watchdog to be completed in 12 months.

He was speaking after the publication of a report by Michael Lockwood, director general of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), on its efficiency, effectiveness and profile.

The report detailed moves to work closer with the Federation to improve the timeliness of investigations.

Geoff said: “It is right and proper that we must maintain and improve professional standards, but there must also be consideration given to the welfare of officers and to the timeliness of investigations.

“Long-running investigations that drag on and on are not in the interests of the public, of the Force of our members and individual officers.

“Lengthy investigations have the capacity to significantly impact on officers’ lives. The Federation continues to call for investigations to be completed within 12 months, and we will push for this through the national Federation’s Time Limits campaign.”

He added: “We look forward to working with the IOPC to maintain and build on our relationship so that we can ensure the best outcomes for Federation members.

“Also, it’s encouraging to see Mr Lockwood acknowledge some of the IOPC’s investigations have taken too long and that he’s looking to address it.

“That should include a focus on training investigators – particularly around disclosure – and for all outstanding legacy cases to be reviewed to establish if they can be closed off sooner rather than later.”

Mr Lockwood’s report was in response to a letter from the Home Secretary, Priti Patel, asking him to provide a comprehensive plan for delivering improvements in the timeliness and quality of investigations as well as better scrutiny around any decision-making.

Proposed actions included in the report include:

• A new streamlined investigation process for lower-risk cases, which has helped to reduce the average time it takes to complete investigations.
• Engaging extensively with the Federation and other staff associations to develop a respectful relationship and greater co-operation to action any concerns.
• A multi-disciplinary Critical Case Panel, chaired by the director general, which now oversees particularly complex or high-risk cases to ensure cross-organisational support and assurance that work is properly resourced.
• New opportunities for users to feedback and challenge the IOPC’s work, including the introduction of restorative practice debriefs, which will allow users to discuss any concerns directly with IOPC staff.
• An External Stakeholder Reference Group, consisting of a range of statutory and non-statutory external stakeholders, to challenge and influence work.

Ms Patel, who has requested a further update from Mr Lockwood in May, said: “The vast majority of police perform their duties with the utmost professionalism – and I have been clear they have my full support.

“The progress made by the IOPC on the effectiveness and timeliness of investigations is positive for both officers and the public, but clearly further improvement is required, and I will continue to scrutinise the IOPC’s performance.”

Mr Lockwood said: “This report highlights the significant progress the IOPC is making in our work as we continue to strengthen our impact and make a real difference to policing, operationally, organisationally and culturally.

“Our plans are ambitious, and we are determined to bring about continued further improvements in our own work and across broader policing practice.”