PFEW backs Met's decision to review IOPC's direction to stand W80 for gross misconduct

29 September 2023

Polfed News

It is disgraceful that the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has disregarded the Metropolitan Police Service’s (MPS) invitation to review and reconsider its earlier decision directing the MPS to bring gross misconduct proceedings against W80.

The Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) acknowledges that the MPS has decided to review the IOPC’s decision that it’s last year’s direction to bring proceedings stands and MPS must hold a misconduct hearing for W80.

After the public enquiry, which concluded in July 2022 determining Jermaine Baker – part of a gang who were attempting to break a dangerous criminal out of custody and were jailed for a total of 27 years in November 2016 for taking part in the plot – was lawfully killed, the IOPC had directed the MPS to hold gross misconduct hearing for W80.

The MPS, after considering all the evidence and outcome of protracted legal proceedings over eight years, had disagreed with the IOPC and asked it to review and reconsider the decision.

National Chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales, Steve Hartshorn, said: “There is no doubt the individual’s death and the following case has had a significant impact on their and the officer’s family, friends and colleagues.

“It is unreasonable that despite the case having passed stringent legal scrutiny establishing W80’s actions were lawful the IOPC has renewed its direction to the MPS to bring gross misconduct proceedings against W80 even after the MPS disagreed last year and offered detailed evidence in favour of this position. This is not a fair or rational way to run a police misconduct system.

“Today’s development forces the question – how is it right to allow endless, repeated and ongoing investigations into officers’ actions at an incident without any time limit at all? The negative impact of this prolonged uncertainty on an individual, their families and their colleagues cannot be ignored or underestimated, nor can the impact it has on others involved.

“PFEW has been calling to determine a time limit for disciplinary proceedings against officers and is campaigning for it be set at 12 months from the day allegations are made. I take this opportunity to call on the Government and policing leaders to come together and bring about this much needed reform in regulations.”