POLICE whistleblowers could be offered anonymity and immunity from prosecution if they uncover serious criminality, under new proposals from the Home Secretary.<\/p>\n
Theresa May (pictured) has launched a consultation on a number of suggestions to help protect police officers coming forward to report misconduct. In November, Mrs May set out plans to help protect whistleblowers from unfair disciplinary action.<\/span><\/p>\n She also said she wanted to make it\u00a0clear that reprisals against whistleblowers will not be tolerated.<\/p>\n Now she has made another set of longer-term recommendations, which she says will \u201cimprove the reporting routes available to police whistleblowers, and ensure those who do come forward are protected\u201d.<\/p>\n Currently, officers can report concerns directly to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, but the IPCC is then obliged to report these concerns to the individual\u2019s force.<\/p>\n Mrs May wants to do away with this rule, allowing the IPCC to decide how the concerns are dealt with.<\/p>\n She has also suggested that whistleblowers should be consulted over how their concerns are dealt with and receive feedback on progress.<\/p>\n The consultation proposes considering whether whistleblowers could be \u201coffered a guarantee<\/p>\n that their identity will be protected\u201d and whether they could be \u201coffered immunity from prosecution in return for information about serious criminality\u201d.<\/p>\n Mrs May said that police officers and staff coming forward to report misconduct and malpractice is \u201ckey to ensuring the highest standards of integrity in the police\u201d.<\/p>\n The Home Secretary has also proposed reforms to the police complaints system, allowing police and crime commissioners to lead on complaints in their area should they so wish.<\/p>\n