Final Report of the Morris Inquiry: The Case for Change

TERMS OF REFERENCE AND COMMISSIONING BRIEF
Commissioning Brief
The Metropolitan Police Authority is the statutory body with responsibility to
secure efficient and effective policing for London. The Authority sets the medium
term strategy for policing London, publishes an annual policing plan setting out
priorities and targets, and holds the Commissioner to account for the performance
of the Metropolitan Police Service.
The Authority was created in July 2000 at the same time as the Greater London
Authority. There are 23 Members of the MPA: 12 are nominated by the Mayor of
London from amongst members of the Greater London Assembly, 4 are Magistrates,
6 are independent members and 1 is appointed by the Home Secretary.
The legal powers of the Authority are the same as other Police Authorities, under
the Police Act 1996.
Following the case of Superintendent Dizaei, and a number of other high
profile cases in recent years, the Authority has expressed serious concerns about
perceptions of unfairness in the way that some internal investigations are handled
by the MPS. Members of the Authority are aware of officers from ethnic and other
minority groups within the MPS who feel vulnerable and discouraged by what
they perceive to be discrimination and disproportionality in the way in which
investigations are conducted. More generally, Members have also expressed
concerns about the scale of the investigation of complaints against police in
general, believing them sometimes to be out of proportion with the gravity
of the matters complained of.
The Authority is also concerned whether the MPS deals as effectively as it could
with internal conflicts and grievances, especially those involving allegations of
discrimination.
The Authority reaffirms its strong support for the Commissioner’s philosophy that
integrity is non-negotiable in the police service, and for the determination of the
MPS to tackle corruption and impropriety by police officers.
Nevertheless, the Authority decided that, in the interests of public confidence in the
MPS, there should be a comprehensive and independent inquiry into these matters.
The Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner have indicated their full support of
the Authority’s decision.
The Authority is clear that this Inquiry should not be an inquiry into any individual
case or investigation, though it accepts that the Inquiry Panel will want to identify
and draw on any relevant lessons to be learnt from the handling of a number of
cases, as well as taking account of the recommendations of the report into the case
of Sgt Gurpal Virdi.
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