Page 17 - WMPF Federation Dec2018-flip_Neat

‘Draconian’ system is

blighting lives, says

conduct lead

he Federation’s national conduct lead just for themselves but also for the families
Phill Matthews has called for an they need to lean on.”
Toverhaul of the “draconian” Now Phill is calling for reform of the
disciplinary system he says is blighting the legislation to bring in a limit on the length
lives of many officers. of time the IOPC can investigate officers.
Phill says some of the investigations He argued 12 months was enough to
carried out by the Independent Office for conduct an investigation and to bring the
Police Conduct (IOPC) take too long to reach police in line with other areas.
a conclusion, causing ‘unimaginable stress The Federation’s discipline experts across
and trauma’. the country will be debating the matter and
“It is inhumane,” he said. calling on the Home Office and legislators to
Phill added: “Imagine being sent for act, he added.
medical tests and then waiting seven years Phill said: “Drastic reform of legislation is
to get the results. Yet, that’s the type of wait what is needed to halt this drift and we
causing unimaginable stress and trauma would like to see timelines imposed in line
being put on our members when they are with other statutory instruments; for
being investigated by the police watchdog, example, summary-only cases like most
the IOPC. traffic offences and common assaults have a Phill Matthews, national Federation conduct
“For investigations of six, seven, even 10 six-month limit on proceedings being lead.
years are not uncommon. The list of brought. within three years.
investigations with excessive timescales is “It cannot be right that the police service “So we would argue that 12 months is a
endless, which is why we are calling for a is restricted to six months to bring the more than adequate length of time for any
statutory time limit for bringing disciplinary motoring case to court, yet that same non-criminal investigation to be
procedures against police officers. motorist has no limit to complaining about satisfactorily concluded, particularly as all
“While coroners’ inquests can add some the officer; it could be days, weeks, months the witnesses are usually already known.
delay in cases involving deaths, in the or even years later. There is also often CCTV, body-worn video or
majority of instances there is little or no “Similarly, in any workplace employees other documentary evidence that is already
acceptable explanation for why they have have only three months less a day to bring in police possession.
taken so long. And at present, there is no way an employment tribunal against their “Of course, as police officers, none of us
of holding investigating authorities to employer for discrimination matters or want to see the small number of bad apples
account for how long they spend on the dismissals; judicial reviews have to be escape justice. We genuinely do not want
process.” lodged within three months; human rights them in the service. But to uphold this
Phill said that, according to a recent claims must be made within a year; and draconian regime which is blighting so many
Freedom of Information request, 71 per cent even in civil claims for personal injury or lives is not only unacceptable, it is
of directions in the past five years ended death, court proceedings have to be started inhumane.”
without any type of finding against the
officers concerned. It cannot be right that the police service is
“This obviously highlights the waste of
time, effort and money currently spent restricted to six months to bring the motoring
pursuing cases in an untimely fashion, all the
time needlessly putting the officers case to court, yet that same motorist has no
concerned through a protracted hell,” he
said. limit to complaining about the officer; it
“In extreme cases, officers have been
prevented from retiring and left unable to could be days, weeks, months or even years
move on with their lives or a new career.
“The impact on these officers cannot be later.
under-estimated; it has a profound effect: “ “
mentally, physically and often financially, not

www.polfed.org/westmids federation December 2018/January 2019 17