Police Misconduct System Set For Major Review

31 July 2026

The Home Office has announced plans for a review of the police misconduct system – including looking at the thresholds for an investigation, and speeding up the whole process so officers with no case to answer can get back to their duties quicker.

The review will be chaired by Dame Lynne Owens and Jason Beer KC, and will report back with its findings within six months.

The Home Office said the review will “help build a policing system that is fairer, faster and more effective for everyone”.

Sussex Police Federation Chair Raffaele Cioffi said the review was an opportunity to ensure that the threshold for misconduct investigations is set at a reasonable and proportionate level, which is not currently the case.

He said: “The legislation has set a very low bar as the threshold to send members to a misconduct panel. The current threshold to be met is ‘if a reasonable panel could find misconduct’. This test is far too low and must be changed. Proportionality must be brought back to the misconduct regime.
 
“Too many officers are left in limbo while under investigation. They are unable to carry out their full duties and live for extended periods of time under the threat of potentially losing their livelihood and falling seriously mentally unwell – and in some cases resulting in suicide.
 
“I hope this review will take a measured and reasonable approach to police misconduct thresholds. Of course, officers need to be accountable for their actions, but we need to ensure that accountability is fair.”

The Home Office said the review will assess how police misconduct cases are handled across different parts of the misconduct and wider justice system to help create speedier, simpler and more effective accountability.

It added that reforming the police accountability system will ensure victims receive swifter justice, while officers who have done nothing wrong avoid unnecessary delays and can get back on the beat faster.