§ Mr. Whiteheadasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will announce his proposals for the introduction of an independent element into the procedure for handling complaints against the police.
§ Mr. Roy JenkinsIt is my view that an effective independent element, commanding public confidence, must be brought into operation while a complaint is being dealt with—both before the decision is taken whether to bring disciplinary action and, in sufficiently serious cases, in the hearing of any disciplinary charge; it would not be sufficient merely to have some kind of inquest after the event, with no power, even retrospectively, to alter the outcome of the case. It is equally important to avoid bringing to bear a disproportionate weight of skilled resources on matters of a minor nature; the new arrangements should provide for the early identification, and the expeditious handling by the police, of intrinsically minor complaints.
None of the schemes examined by the working group seems to me entirely satisfactory, but they contain features which can, I believe, be built up into an effective and practicable scheme. The following is an outline of the scheme which I propose. These proposals will form the basis for detailed consultations which I shall now be having with the police service and police authorities, with a view to having the scheme fully worked out later this year. Legislation will be required to give effect to it.