The Independent Police Complaints Commission has confirmed the launch of a “milestone” review into how it deals with its most serious cases.

The watchdog said it is shining a light on its own operations as it approaches its eighth anniversary, examining how it investigates deaths in custody and following police contact.

The review will look at cases involving Article II of the European Convention of Human Rights and how the watchdog deals with them.

IPCC Deputy Chair Deborah Glass said a number of stakeholders had been contact to assist with the probe. They include the Police Action Lawyers Group as well as policing bodies such as ACPO plus MPs and academics.

Many families and forces affected by IPCC investigations have also been called.

Ms Glass said: "This review is a significant milestone for the IPCC. Eight years ago there were no independent investigations at all into deaths involving the police – everything was investigated by the police themselves.

“We now carry out over 160 investigations a year into the most serious cases, many of them involving death. They are inevitably our most challenging. We are keen to invite our critics to help us look at how we approach these cases.

"Our first stage is to make sure we are asking the right questions and involving the right people, so we are seeking feedback on that. The review may well identify areas for legislative change or other matters outside our remit.”

Ms Glass concluded: “We are keen to hear from as many people as possible on how we can improve practices and raise public confidence in the system.”