Police promise 'cultural change'... almost 34 years after the Hillsborough disaster
They've responded to a report by the former Bishop of Liverpool, published 5 years ago
Last updated 31st Jan 2023
Police chiefs have promised a "cultural change" as they apologised to families of Hillsborough victims almost 34 years on from the disaster.
The pledge comes as a national police response to a report by the Rt Revd James Jones, former bishop of Liverpool, into the experiences of the Hillsborough families is published.
The 2017 paper, The Patronising Disposition of Unaccountable Power, made 25 recommendations - with 11 of them directly concerning policing.
Ninety-seven football fans died as a result of a crush at a match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest on April 15 1989.
They were unlawfully killed amid a number of police errors, an inquest jury ruled in 2016.
Chief Constable Andy Marsh, the College of Policing's chief executive officer, said:
"For what happened, as a senior policing leader, I profoundly apologise. Policing got it badly wrong."
Tuesday's response from the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) and College of Policing said the code of ethics used by forces will be reviewed, with a duty of candour becoming a key theme.
Mr Marsh, who was born in Liverpool, said: "What we're talking about is cultural change and cultural change takes a long time, but my goodness we have started."
He said new recruits will study the report into the experiences of the Hillsborough families.
All forces in England and Wales have signed up to a Charter for Families Bereaved Through Public Tragedy, which says police organisations must acknowledge any mistakes.
In his report, Mr Jones urged the Government to give full consideration to a Hillsborough Law, including a duty of candour for police officers.
NPCC chairman Martin Hewitt said legislation is a matter for Parliament:
"What we have really focused on is doing that which is really within our power. The issue of candour is very clear within the charter for bereaved families and it will be incorporated explicitly in the review of the code of ethics."
Mr Marsh added: "We have been robust as possible and it's for Parliament to make any legislation that they feel is necessary."
Mr Hewitt said the response to Mr Jones's report was not published earlier due to legal processes.
He said: "It was really important to us to ensure that the report was a full response to all the points raised by the bishop and a really clear response to the families around what we have done, but I absolutely accept that every week or month that has gone by has added to the pain of the families and not being able the whole process to conclusion."
The police response also says there will be a new code of practice on police information and records management to prevent the problems faced after the Hillsborough disaster, when records were lost or destroyed, and new guidance for family liaison officers.
Guidance on disaster victim identification has been revised, with officers told the terms "belonging to" or "property of" the coroner should not be used, the report said.
In a statement Bishop James Jones said:
"I welcome the police response to my Report learning from the Hillsborough families. The response recognises that the police treatment of families was ' harrowing '.
"The police response now shifts the focus onto the Government which has yet to respond nearly 6 years after I presented my Report.
"I specially welcome the NPCC commitment to two points. Firstly a " duty of candour" on the police. Secondly that after a public tragedy bereaved families should have as much legal representation as public bodies.
"The two points are known as 'Hillsborough Law'. The Government should enshrine both principles in legislation. The lack of a statutory duty of candour allows rogue police officers to get away with criminality.
"60 years since the last one, a Royal Commission is needed. In that time the criminal landscape has changed radically- with cyber crime, international fraud, abuse against women and increases in the scope and scale of the challenges. Piecemeal changes are insufficient. "