§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Attorney-General how many cases involving allegations of criminal misconduct against police officers were considered by the Attorney-General; and how many of these resulted in prosecutions being brought, in the last three years.
§ The Attorney-GeneralAllegations that police officers have committed criminal offences are ordinarily reported to the Director of Public Prosecutions in accordance with section 90 of the Police and Criminal834W Evidence Act 1984 and not to myself. The DPP consults me where she considers it appropriate to do so having regard to the difficulty or importance of the particular case. In addition, the DPP submits papers in any case where proceedings are considered appropriate for an offence subject to a statutory requirement that my consent be obtained.
Statistics are not maintained either in the Crown Prosecution Service or my Department as to the number of cases referred to me which relate to police officers The number is very small but precise information could be obtained only by a trawl of all departmental files involving disproportionate expense.