Disclosure rules having huge impact on detectives

24 March 2022

West Midlands Police Federation rep Jon Nott says new disclosure rules are having a huge impact on detectives and their morale as he called for an urgent Government review.

Jon, a detective before taking on a full-time Federation role around two years ago, is also secretary of the Police Federation National Detectives’ Forum (PFNDF), which is leading the Federation’s work on this issue.

He said complying with the rules added to investigators’ workloads and stress levels, and prevented them delivering timely outcomes for crime victims.

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

A study carried out by the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) on behalf of the Federation’s National Detectives’ Forum (PFNDF) found that 89 per cent of detectives felt the changes had added to their workload.

The survey also revealed 65 per cent of West Midlands detectives reported low job satisfaction, with 70 per cent saying their job satisfaction had decreased due to the changes.

Almost two thirds (63 per cent) of respondents said their job was very or extremely stressful, with 82 per cent saying the rule changes had increased how stressful they found their role.

Some 59 per cent said their morale was now low or very low, with 81 per cent of respondents saying the new rules had a negative impact on their morale.

Jon said: “It’s been just over a year since these rules were introduced and in that short space of time they’ve had a huge impact on our members.

“We’ve seen workloads increase, stress levels rise and morale drop, and it’s affecting our members’ ability to do their job. Too much time and effort is being spent, essentially preparing court documents before a charge has even been made.

“It can all be a huge waste of time and effort if a suspect admits to an offence or the case doesn’t proceed to court. And, as our research shows, it’s placing detectives under increased strain, they’re facing longer hours, and higher stress levels.

“We have a shortage of detectives as it is, but many of our colleagues are considering their future in policing because of these changes and we’re struggling to recruit investigators. It’s a perfect storm.”

The report found that the rule changes had: 

• Increased the number of hours spent on pre-charge file preparation (91 per cent)
• Increased the number of hours needed to submit a pre-charge file to the CPS (91 per cent)
• Increased the number of victims that have withdrawn from active participation with the investigation (51 per cent)
• Increased the number of active cases they are working on (82 per cent)
• Decreased the number of hours they were able to spend actively investigating live cases, due to increased case preparation work (59 per cent)
• Decreased the efficiency of the criminal justice system (82 per cent).

It also found that 52 per cent of detectives said the changes increased their intention to leave their role, with 47 per cent saying it had no effect.

Jon said: “The situation needs to change and change quickly. This is why we’re sharing the survey with senior officers and our local MPs to draw attention to the impact on detectives.

“And we’re calling on the Government to urgently review the situation and work with the Federation to move back towards our previous system.”

Read the full detectives’ survey report.