COMPLAINTS against police officers took longer to resolve over the past year according to the latest Annual Report from the Independent Office for Police Conduct.<\/p>\n
The 2016\/17 IOPC report reveals investigations were completed on average in 239 working days, up from 226 days in 2015\/16.<\/p>\n
However, overall the figures show an average improvement of three months compared to 2014\/15.<\/p>\n
The organisation admits that the speed of its recent growth has impacted on the ‘number and skill’ of frontline investigation staff.<\/p>\n
Formerly the Independent Police Complaints Commission, the IOPC is in its last year of expansion which has seen an increase in staff levels in a bid to increase the range and number of investigations it can carry out.<\/p>\n
“This is the third year of the ambitious expansion programme, during which we have doubled our staff numbers,” IOPC Chair Dame Owers writes in the report.<\/p>\n
“It’s allowed us to broaden the range of people we employ, particularly in investigations, and to take on nearly six times as many independent investigations.<\/p>\n
“However, there are challenges in such a swift expansion and we are examining and refining our internal processes.<\/p>\n
Those processes include developing quality performance measures and staff training.<\/p>\n
“We are completing investigations more quickly than two years ago, and we know that we can improve still further,” Dame Owers added.<\/p>\n
“During next year, now that the major expansion has ceased, the IOPC will be able to consolidate and build on those changes and improvements.”<\/p>\n
Officers are also being asked to ensure they are ‘fully accountable’ as part of investigations into deaths and incidents in police care, while mental health issues among detainees have become a common thread in investigations.<\/p>\n
“Many of our investigations, particularly into deaths, highlight the vulnerability of those who die or are seriously injured following police contact,” Dame Owers added.<\/p>\n
Mental health continues to be a tragic thread running through too many of our investigations, and we have called for better healthcare support as well as improved training for the police service.<\/p>\n