Police Misconduct (Hansard, 20 July 2001)

§ Mr. Denham

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis informs me that of 31 May 2001 the Metropolitan police employed a total of 25,615 officers. The breakdown of police officers who were dismissed or required to resign from the Metropolitan police because of misconduct in each of the last three years and are now in receipt of a police pension, is as follows:

Year	Dismissed	Required to resign
1998–99	9	39
1999–2000	15	25
2000–01	10	21
Total	34	85

Under Regulation K5 of the Police Pensions Regulations 1987, a police authority can seek a certificate for forfeiture of pension, although the courts have ruled that the pension may be forfeited by no more than 75 per cent., the remainder reflecting a pensioner's own contributions. In respect of those officers dismissed or required to resign from the Metropolitan police since 1998, the Metropolitan Police Authority has submitted one request for forfeiture of pension, for which a certificate was issued in November 2000. However, the Metropolitan Police Authority are currently considering a further 12 cases for forfeiture of pension.

The Home Secretary's statement of 23 March 1998, in response to the Home Affairs Committee Report on police disciplinary and complaints procedures, made it clear that police authorities should look at all cases of police officers who have been convicted of criminal offences 642W connected with their police service with a view to forfeiture of their pensions. Further to that statement, Home Office circular 56–1998, which was sent to the chair/clerk of all police authorities in December 1998, indicated that they should ensure, in co-operation with their police force, that systems should be in place to identify cases to which the forfeiture provisions apply so that appropriate action may be taken. The total number of applications submitted is restricted by the strict criteria that need to be met.