Disclosure rules having ‘massive impact’ on detectives and the public

21 January 2022

Suffolk Police Federation secretary Ben Hudson says he’s “extremely concerned” at the impact new disclosure rules are having on detectives, their workload, their mental health and their ability to deliver timely outcomes for victims of crime.

Ben is also vice-chair of the Police Federation’s National Detectives’ Forum (PFNDF) and is leading the Federation’s work on this issue.

The new rules introduced last year by the Director of Public Prosecutions require detectives to provide the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) with trial-ready prosecution before it makes a charging decision.

Ben explained: “This is a stealth tax on policing as detectives are having to spend far longer sitting at their desks file-building rather than getting out there engaging with their victims and investigating crimes as the public would want.”

Ben said: “The results of our survey are extremely concerning. Detectives were already being placed under considerable strain before these changes came in due to recruitment and retention issues, facing long hours, an often complex job and high stress levels – all of which can impact on their wellbeing.

“But, as the survey shows, these are all being exacerbated by the new guidance on charging.

“A huge amount of time and effort is being spent by detectives reviewing and redacting statements, documents and even videos and mobile phone data. Essentially they’re preparing court documents before a charge has even been made.

“It’s clearly adding to detectives’ workload and impacting their ability to do their job and investigate other crimes – and, as a consequence, it’s impacting victims of crime and public safety.

“But it can be a huge waste of resources, particularly if a suspect admits to an offence or the CPS decides not to proceed.

“And now it’s having an impact on morale and even retention, with 42 per cent of respondents indicating the changes increased their intention to leave their role as a detective.”

Ben is sharing the findings of the survey with the Force’s senior officers and local MPs to highlight the impact the issue is having on officers and their ability to deliver the service they want to the people of Suffolk.

He concluded: “I’m calling on the Government to work with me and the Federation’s interim chair, Ché Donald, on this matter so that the voice of our members can be heard and there can be a move back towards our previous system of agreed staged disclosure.”