Question
As we have seen recently in England and Wales, misconduct by a few can affect the levels of confidence the public has in policing as a whole. It is important that the PSNI takes seriously, and is seen to be taking seriously, the challenges of any inappropriate internal cultures. In November 2022, the Board published a report on a Review of PSNI Professional Standards and made several recommendations relating to cultural audits, whistleblowing, vetting procedures and the abuse of positions by individuals. Could the Chief Constable outline if there is a further need to review and update PSNI policies and procedures on standards, and to accelerate the communication of expected standards throughout the organisation?
Answer
1. There is ongoing review and update of Service policies and procedures in relation to standards. This review is across a number of areas and includes the revision of existing Service Instructions and also the drafting of new materials. Under the new management arrangements in Professional Standards’ Departments, policy development sits under the integrity strand and is led by a Detective Superintendent. The governance process for policy is the monthly PSD Tasking and Coordination Group.
2. To be specific, Professional Standards’ Department has recently published a new Service Instruction on appropriate workplace relationships and the use of personal mobile phones. Reviews of the Whistleblowing Service Instruction and Declarable Associations are well advanced. A declarable association is when an officer or staff member might be related to or have an association with an individual of concern to police. Further to the above, reviews of our Substance and Alcohol Abuse policies have been carried out. The publication of these revised Service Instructions has been supported by a communications plan.
3. Consideration of our approach to business interests and secondary employment is at an early stage.
4. Vetting guidance for potential recruits, internal vetting panels and Service Vetting Unit staff is also being reviewed in discussion with Sir John Gillen. This revised guidance will, among other things, set out our expectations in regard to the imperative of high standards and that those who perpetrate violence against women and girls have no place in the Service. The guidance is being re-written in line with some His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary recommendations which fell out of their misogyny inspection in England and Wales.
5. The Code of Ethics, following internal consultation, is with Kings Counsel for review and advice. When advice is received the revised code will be considered internally and the provided to the Policing Board to undertake statutory consultation. The revised Code of Ethics retains a prescriptive, as opposed to an aspirational emphasis.
6. In addition to the Policing Board recommendations and from other accountability bodies, Professional Standards Department is working through a large number of recommendations from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary.
7. The Professional Standards Department has a communications plan, which has been revised recently and will be relaunched as a “Prevention First” plan.
8. In a recent departure for the Service, redacted details of misconduct hearings are being published on the common terminal Point page. This is being well received. It is believed such an approach fulfils the declaratory purpose of misconduct as it makes the consequences of gross misconduct very clear to officers and staff.
9. The cultural audit is being led by the Assistant Chief Officer People and Organisational Development.
Peter Osborne