Kent Police Federation: “We are throwing too many good officers under the investigation bus”

29 November 2023

That’s the view of Neil Mennie, Chair of Kent Police Federation after the Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley called for urgent reforms to investigations into officers.  

Currently the IOPC (Independent Office for Police Conduct) can take years to scrutinise officers’ handling of life and death incidents. 

Sir Mark said this week that armed police officers had told him they would rather face terrorists than other criminals, as there was less risk of a legal backlash.  

Neil said: “Recently we have seen the accountability review commissioned by the Home Office following the charging of NX121 with murder in the Metropolitan Police. Also due any time now is the Home Office commissioned review led by Dr Gillian Fairfield looking into the function of the IOPC. 

“No one would argue with the necessity of accountability and scrutiny within policing. However this profession must be far and away the most scrutinised one in the UK.  

“Officers often have to make difficult and dangerous decisions whilst balancing all the risks involved. It’s not surprising that on occasion things take an unexpected turn or result in unintended consequences. It shouldn’t be the case that circumstances focus on hindsight and opinion rather than a pragmatic look at the facts.  

“This then leading to an automatic assumption of wrongdoing followed by lengthy periods of anxiety and suffering.  

 "Too often this results in an outcome that common sense and sensible examination from actual practitioners saw right from the start. That is to say no formal outcome and perhaps some learning at best.  

 “The folks that are subject of these processes are left bitter, angry and upset and will never recover their trust in the organisations. Many would not object if things happened quickly and most important fairly. This does not mean it’s a charter for wrongdoing but a need to look after the majority who are trying their best to do the right thing. 

“The problem with throwing too many good officers under the investigation bus is that eventually it will just get slower and slower before grinding to a halt. Let’s hope the reviews recognise some of the issues that are having a devastating impact on some capable and hard working cops.”