Final Report of the Morris Inquiry: The Case for Change

THE CASE FOR CHANGE
7.128 As a matter of best practice, greater use of alternatives to suspension should
be considered and implemented because this is better both for the officer
concerned and the taxpayer.
“If they want to suspend us, suspend us, but every month – I am only speaking for myself here,
but there are four of us. Bar one, three of us are ten year plus officers. There is a lack of
experienced officers on the streets. The other officer, during the suspension, has done his
promotion and will be a sergeant if we go back to work, upon his return. Oh, neighbours,
friends, family, other officers, nobody can understand, but then, it is taxpayers’ money. The
Metropolitan Police is not spending its own money, is it? …
Oh, there are alternatives. I could be shuffling paper in a desk, could I not? I could wash cars if
they wanted. But it is not my – you very quickly realise that you are a number. I am PC
[redacted], I have no influence over what is going on. I cannot make things happen any
quicker.” (Evidence of Mr DD.)
7.129 The legislative framework for suspending police officers is now set out in
regulation 4(2)(b) of the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2004, which provides as
follows:
“(2) The appropriate authority shall not so suspend a police officer unless it appears to it
that either of the following conditions (‘the suspension conditions’) is satisfied –
(a) that the effective investigation of the matter may be prejudiced unless the officer
concerned is so suspended;
(b) that the public interest, having regard to the nature of the report, complaint or
allegation, and any other relevant considerations, requires that he should be so
suspended.”
7.130 The way in which the MPS approaches suspensions is set out in a Special
Notice, Suspension / Removal from Normal Duty Policy – Constables to Chief
Superintendents which provides:
“The decision to suspend an officer will only be made after all the other options have been
considered … In all cases, unless it is impossible or positively undesirable to do so,
consideration should first be given to other options rather than suspension … Suspension can
occur:
in any case where, the ACPO officer considers the matter, on the information available, to be
capable of leading to a major penalty either in criminal or disciplinary proceedings; and it is
necessary and in the public interest to do so.”
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