THE Home Secretary wants to introduce a new offence for police corruption, strengthening what she sees as the \u201coutdated\u201d misconduct in public office charge.<\/p>\n
Theresa May (pictured) announced her plans following a review of the Stephen Lawrence murder investigation, which found \u201creasonable grounds\u201d to suspect one former Met officer of corruption.<\/p>\n
In a statement to ministers, Mrs May said she wants to amend the Criminal Justice and Courts Bill to introduce a corruption offence that focuses specifically on people who hold police powers.<\/p>\n
She said it was \u201cuntenable\u201d to be relying on the \u201coutdated common law offence of misconduct in public office\u201d to deal with \u201cserious issues of corruption in modern policing\u201d.<\/p>\n
Neil Bowles, chairman of South Yorkshire Police Federation, said any new corruption offence should be applicable to all public servants, such as MPs, not just police officers. \u201cThey should all be subject to the same standards of integrity,\u201d said Mr Bowles.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn policing, as in other areas, the problems of the past have a danger of infecting the present, and can lay traps for the future,\u201d said Mrs May. \u201cPolicing stands damaged today. Trust and confidence in the Metropolitan Police, and policing more generally, is vital. A public inquiry, and the other work I have set out, are part of the process of repairing the damage.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Home Secretary cited direct entry, the new code of ethics, greater transparency and the professionalisation of the police as ways that the government is changing the culture of policing.<\/p>\n
She added that the Home Office was also \u201ctransforming\u201d the investigation of cases involving the police through reform of the Independent Police Complaints Commission.<\/p>\n
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