Accelerated misconduct hearings

Part 5 of the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020 sets out the procedure for conducting accelerated misconduct hearings. These hearings take place when an investigation of an allegation identifies that the following special conditions are satisfied:

1. There is sufficient evidence, in the form of written statements or other documents, to establish on the balance of probabilities, that the conduct of the officer concerned constitutes gross misconduct; and
2. It is in the public interest for the officer concerned to cease to be a police officer without delay.

The Home Office Guidance clarifies at Paragraph 12.5 that the special conditions “procedures are designed to deal with cases where the evidence is incontrovertible in the form of statements, documents or other material (e.g. CCTV) and is therefore sufficient without further evidence to prove gross misconduct and it is in the public interest, if the case is found or admitted, for the officer to cease to be a member of the police service straightaway”.

The regulations also set out how cases should be dealt with when the Independent Office for Police Conduct is managing or supervising the misconduct proceedings, and where there are special requirements that are subject to Schedule 3 of the Police Reform Act 2002.