Nottinghamshire Police Federation chair Simon Riley has welcomed Home Office plans to improve the timeliness of investigations into police officers’ conduct.

Simon described the announcement that investigations into officers suspected of committing offences in the line of duty will be sped up as ‘long overdue’.

The Home Office has also announced a rise in the threshold for referring police officers for criminal prosecution, saying that ‘only cases that have a reasonable prospect of conviction should be referred’.

Simon said: “We welcome the changes announced by the Home Secretary to improve the timeliness of investigations – which are long overdue.

“Of course the public expects the highest standards from police officers, and while the vast majority of our members meet those expectations those that don’t should face action and, if appropriate, dismissal from the Force.

“But officers all too often find themselves under investigation for doing their job in line with their training and to the best of their ability.

“Policing can be high-pressured and decisions made in a split-second, and there has to be the right balance between accountability and support for officers who use their powers effectively.

“Also, there is no cap on how long a complaint can be investigated and many take years to come to a conclusion, which can’t be right for any party.

“And you can’t underestimate the impact this can have on the officer, their family and their colleagues

“Through our Time Limits campaign, the Federation has long been calling for a 12-month limit to disciplinary proceedings against officers, and I think these proposals to speed up the process will boost confidence in the system for both officers and the public.”

In September last year, the then Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, announced a review of the way in which police use of force and police driving related incidents were investigated.

Announcing the outcome of the review and reforms to the police accountability system, Home Secretary James Cleverly said: “Our police officers act bravely in the line of duty, and they should not fear that their actions, when lawful and taken in line with their training and guidance, could damage their careers, wellbeing and family life.

“It is vital for the public and our policing that officers are held to the highest of standards and a balance must be struck between making sure officers can do their jobs safely and confidently and holding them to account.

“That is why the changes we are setting out, and further measures in the coming months, will ensure both our officers and the public have faith in the accountability system.”

Other proposals include giving the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) the ability to refer cases to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) earlier, once an investigation has finished rather than waiting for a final report to be drafted. This will allow them to speed up the referral process and give officers and victims clarity sooner, the Home Office said.

The Home Office also said that to ensure that no cases slip through the net, the IOPC’s Victim’s Right to Review policy will be put on a statutory footing, strengthening the ability for victims of police use of force to challenge when cases have not been referred to the CPS.