Public Backing For IPCC

Wed, 24 June 2009 Courtesy of: IPCC

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has published its 2008 Public Confidence Survey.  Measuring the levels of public confidence in the policing complaints system goes to the heart of the IPCC's existence.  

Public confidence in the IPCC and in the wider policing complaints system is an integral factor in how the IPCC measures success, accountability, use of resources and importantly how it looks at areas for improvement.

In this year's public confidence survey (2008) 88% of respondents said that they thought the IPCC would treat a complaint against police fairly. In BME communities this assertion has seen a marked improvement – rising from 71% in 2007 to 77% in 2008.

Results also showed that:

•66% (62% in 2004) of people had heard of the IPCC

•68% (64% in 2004) thought the IPCC was independent of the police

•65% (65% in 2004) were very or fairly confident that the IPCC deals with complaints in an impartial way.

IPCC Chairman, Nick Hardwick said:

"Our work is often controversial. This does not and must not affect public confidence in the IPCC. These figures show that over an incredibly busy period we have not only maintained public confidence but in many areas we have seen improvement. That said – we must not be complacent. These figures continue to get better year on year and we will do everything in our power to ensure this is maintained. "

Whilst the levels of public confidence are going in the right direction, the survey highlights the fact that there is work to be done. Nearly 70% (68%) of respondents to the 2008 survey saw the IPCC as being independent from police. The publics' awareness and understanding of the IPCC's independence has to be a priority for the IPCC and so whilst nearly 70% is a positive result – the IPCC will not be complacent.

The results of the survey also show that there are pockets of the population that the IPCC must work harder at talking to – this is a key factor when it comes to building trust and confidence – not just in the IPCC but in the complaints system as a whole. As part of its' "guardianship" role this is not just about how the IPCC responds to specific investigations or cases, but about its interaction with communities, stakeholders, policing authorities and families who feel most affected by the policing complaints system – and the wider criminal justice system as a whole.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) became operational in April 2004. It replaced the Police complaints Authority (PCA). It is a Non-Departmental Public body (NDPB), funded by the Home Office, but by law entirely independent of the police, interest groups and political parties and whose decisions in cases are free from government involvement.

The IPCC is responsible for ensuring complaints against the police are dealt with effectively and when something has gone wrong, the IPCC helps police learn lessons and improve the way they work.

The IPCC is run by a Chair, Nick Hardwick, ten Operational Commissioners (including two Deputy Chairs) and two Non-executive Commissioners. They guarantee its independence and by law can never have served as police officers. They are supported by more than 100 independent police investigators plus casework managers and other specialists.

When a case is referred to the IPCC, an assessment of the evidence available at that time is carried out and a decision is made as to the level of investigation that should take place. There are four levels of investigation:

o Independent – where the IPCC uses its own investigators and the police are not involved at all;

o Managed – where an IPCC investigator has direction and control of police resources and leads the investigation;

o Supervised – where the police force lead the investigation but a member of the IPCC staff monitors it;

o Local – where the police investigate the complaint or area of concern themselves

From 1 April 2004 to 31 March 2009 the IPCC has used its powers to begin 353 independent and 759 managed investigations into the most serious complaints against the police and other agencies. It has set new standards for police forces to improve the way the public's complaints are handled. The Commission also handles appeals by the public about the way their complaint was dealt with by the local force.

Four thousand people were surveyed by BMRB Limited and the results compared with the IPCC's 2004 and 2007 Public Confidence Survey.