Final Report of the Morris Inquiry: The Case for Change

GOVERNANCE, ACCOUNTABILITY AND SCRUTINY
police authority oversight and scrutiny of grievance procedures and employment
tribunals. This states: “Grievance and ET cases provide a significant insight into the health of
any organisation. Police authorities need to clearly hold forces to account for how they deal
with such cases through regular strategic analysis and scrutiny.”
6.8 This scrutiny will involve regular consideration of numbers of cases and trends
over time, across the organisation and in comparison with other organisations and
services. It should also involve consideration of whether there is a need to review or
change a relevant policy. Case files can also be dip-sampled. The APA considers that
this work is best dealt with by a committee rather than the full authority.
6.9 The MPA has told us that it does not have comprehensive oversight systems in
place in relation to Employment Tribunal cases and grievances. However, it
proposes to introduce systems based on the APA guidance. We have received a
draft protocol between the MPA and the MPS which would cover oversight of
Employment Tribunal cases as well as other matters. We consider that this protocol,
together with systems based on the APA guidance, should enable the MPA to hold
the MPS to account in this important area.
We recommend that the Metropolitan Police Authority puts in place
comprehensive oversight systems and processes to scrutinise grievances and
Employment Tribunal cases as soon as possible, taking account of the
Association of Police Authorities’ guidance in this area.
The role of the Metropolitan Police Authority in complaints and discipline
6.10 Public confidence requires robust scrutiny of police complaints and conduct
matters. This is a key part of the role of police authorities. They must ensure that
they have systems and structures in place to apply the necessary rigour to oversee
the way the police service handles cases.
6.11 As a starting point, it is helpful to examine the statutory framework governing
police authority oversight of complaints. This is set out in the Police Act 1996 and
the Police Reform Act 2002.
6.12 Section 6(1) of the 1996 Act places a duty on police authorities to secure the
maintenance of an efficient and effective police service in its area. The service is
under the direction and control of the Chief Constable (the Commissioner) by
virtue of section 10(1).
6.13 Section 77 of the 1996 Act imposed a duty on every police authority, in
maintaining an efficient and effective police service, to keep itself informed as to
the workings of the procedures for handling complaints about the conduct of
police officers. Section 15 of the 2002 Act maintains this duty and now widens it.
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