Police watchdog reform welcomed by Met Commissioner

The head of the Met police has welcomed a report which states the police regulator needs drastic reform.

An independent investigation into the IOPC has made 93 recommendations to speed up cases and improve public confidence in policing.

Dr Gillian Fairfield, who led the review, said the police regulator had been in a state of "flux" since the shock resignation of its boss when it emerged he was facing sexual abuse allegations. But she made clear the problems identified were "longstanding and do not stem from this departure".

Making 93 recommendations for improvement, Dr Fairfield said: "Disappointingly, some of our findings and recommendations are similar to those from previous reviews and inquiries.

"This strongly suggests the IOPC (and others) have failed to adequately act on previous findings and important learning opportunities have been missed. We are left with the impression that recommendations may fall into an abyss. This must not happen again. To ensure it does not, once a permanent IOPC DG (director general) is appointed, they should grip implementation of these recommendations."

There are "significant issues that must be addressed to: put the organisation on a sustainable footing; ensure it effectively delivers its remit; speed up its investigation processes; improve transparency; and, ultimately, improve public confidence in policing", she said.

Responding to the findings, the Home Office announced plans to overhaul the way in which the IOPC would handle investigations into police officers suspected of committing crimes in the line of duty, particularly those involving dangerous driving, use of force and discharging firearms.

The changes were in a bid to "boost confidence in the police accountability system" and speed up investigations to give "swifter clarity to both officers and victims", the department said.

It also announced that Rachel Watson, the Home Office's policing director since 2019, has been appointed as the IOPC's new director general.

Measures include raising the threshold used to decide whether the IOPC should refer a case to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to "improve the timeliness of investigations", Home Secretary James Cleverly said in a written statement to Parliament as the plans were published on Thursday.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said the reforms were a "step in the right direction" but delivered only "very limited tangible progress for officers in the short-term".

Sir Mark has previously voiced concerns about officers being unduly pursued by the IOPC. In November, he described the prosecution of an officer who crashed while driving to the scene of a terror attack as "appalling".

"No other country in the world would haul one of its most highly trained officers before a court for responding to one of the most serious incidents we can deal with", he said, after Pc Paul Fisher was cleared of dangerous driving almost four years after being charged.

Government officials conceded raising the threshold for IPOC referrals to the CPS may mean fewer cases would be put to prosecutors to decide whether to take police to court, but were confident this would not risk missing officers who should be brought to justice. The changes would mean only cases with sufficient evidence to secure a conviction would be taken forward, answering pleas from the IOPC for reform of the system.

At the moment, the IOPC refers cases to the CPS if it believes there is an indication that a criminal offence has been committed - a lower bar than is set for members of the public accused of offences.

The Home Office said it was raising the bar to match how the CPS would treat the public so that referrals for prosecution matched a "reasonable prospect of conviction" - the same test the police use when referring suspects for a charging decision.

Mr Cleverly said: "It is vital for the public and our policing that officers are held to the highest of standards and a balance must be struck between making sure officers can do their jobs safely and confidently and holding them to account.

"That is why the changes we are setting out today, and further measures in the coming months, will ensure both our officers and the public have faith in the accountability system."

Ms Watson said an "independent and respected IOPC is essential to public confidence in policing", adding that she was "determined" to work with staff to "build on what is great about the organisation and ensure that it is in the best possible position to meet the needs of the future".

Responding to the review, the IOPC Unitary Board said: "This announcement reflects what we have been saying for some time - the arrangements for holding the police to account need fundamental reform.

"Police leaders must take real and meaningful action to rebuild policing's contract with the public, particularly those parts of society who often feel marginalised, left behind or lack confidence.

"We welcome proposed changes to our governance structure and ask the Home Office to give this urgent consideration. Any changes need to be done properly and in a way that ensures the progress we have made since being established in 2018 can continue.

"We've accepted almost all of the recommendations and work has already begun to implement many of them."

Sir Mark said: "The public expect police officers to act decisively to keep them safe, but an accountability system that is slow, unfair and ineffective has damaged their confidence to do so. It empowers criminals and leaves communities less protected.

"The Home Secretary's recognition that many officers have lost trust in the system and lack confidence to take the actions necessary to protect the public should be welcomed. In turn, it should concern communities and officers alike.

"The measures announced today are a step in the right direction towards putting that right, but they deliver only very limited tangible progress for officers in the short-term.

"The commitment to consult on substantial further change is positive, but officers across the country will now be looking to Government to ensure that it happens swiftly and is followed by implementation. It is only then that they will begin to have the reassurance they need."

The Police Federation, which has been campaigning for a 12-month limit on all disciplinary investigations into officers, said reforms to the IOPC were "needed and overdue".

National chairman Steve Hartshorn said: "Protracted disciplinary investigations ruin the careers of many officers, leaving a mark on their mental health, and put immense pressure on their home life and loved ones.

"We look forward to working constructively with Rachel Watson in helping reform and overhaul any processes that are found to be inadequate."

Chief Constable Andy Marsh, chief executive at the College of Policing, said: "I am grateful to the Home Secretary for publishing this review, which provides further clarity on how policing is rightly held to account within a system which also recognises the significant additional risks officers face.

"We will continue to work with others in criminal justice to ensure the system delivers a high level of accountability for officers, while avoiding unnecessary burdens due to a lack of legal clarity."

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