Police investigation management
Risk of replication of past management failures in police investigations due to absence of systems ensuring compliance.
111 items
1 source
20 inquiries
Source spread
Where this theme appears
Police investigation management has been flagged across 1 independent accountability source:
111 inquiry recs
This theme has been identified in one data source. As more data is added, cross-references may emerge.
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Source-grouped records are useful for tracing where a concern came from. Large sections show the 50 strongest matches for that source; counts still show the full theme total.
Inquiry Recommendations (111) — showing 50 strongest matches
R88 — PSNI investigation file review processes
Recommendation: PSNI needs to improve its processes for the review of live investigation files, and have an effective escalation process when progress is delayed. PSNI should consider how it assures the quality of the reviews of live investigation files. Senior officers …
Response Pending
MACP-34 — Ensure racist motivation evidence is recognised and included at all prosecution stages.
Recommendation: That Police Services and the CPS should ensure that particular care is taken at all stages of prosecution to recognise and to include reference to any evidence of racist motivation. In particular it should be the duty of the CPS …
Unknown
7 — Introduce 28-day maximum time limit on detention
Recommendation: The government must introduce in legislation a maximum 28-day time limit on any individual's detention within an immigration removal centre.
Gov response: The government does not accept this recommendation. The government stated: 'A time limit would significantly impair the ability to remove those who have breached immigration laws and refused to leave the UK voluntarily.'
Not Accepted
3 — Limit cell occupancy to maximum two people
Recommendation: The Home Office must ensure that a maximum of two detained people are accommodated in each cell at Brook House.
Gov response: All rooms across the removal estate meet standards under Rule 15(1) of the Detention Centre Rules 2001. At Brook House, no room designed for two individuals houses more than two, with no plans to change …
Accepted in Part
COVID-M2.4 — Publish Technical Advice During Emergencies
Recommendation: During a whole-system civil emergency, the UK government and devolved administrations should each routinely publish technical advice on scientific, economic and social matters at the earliest opportunity, as well as the minutes of expert advisory groups – except where there …
Gov response: No formal response published by this government.
Accepted
COVID-M2.2 — Devolved Nations SAGE Attendance
Recommendation: The Government Office for Science (GO-Science) should invite the governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to nominate a small number of representatives to attend meetings of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) from the outset of any future …
Gov response: GO-Science has already made the required changes to address this recommendation. The three Chief Scientific Advisers (CSAs) of the devolved governments remain the primary representatives of the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish governments at SAGE …
Accepted
COVID-M1.9 — External Red Teams for Resilience
Recommendation: The governments of the UK, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland should each introduce the use of red teams in the Civil Service to scrutinise and challenge the principles, evidence, policies and advice relating to preparedness for and resilience to whole-system …
Gov response: No formal response published by this government.
Accepted
In progress
COVID-M1.7 — Publish Exercise Reports and Lessons
Recommendation: For all civil emergency exercises, the governments of the UK, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland should each (unless there are reasons of national security for not doing so): publish an exercise report summarising the findings, lessons and recommendations, within three …
Gov response: No formal response published by this government.
Accepted
In progress
COVID-M1.6 — Triennial Pandemic Exercises
Recommendation: The UK government and devolved administrations should together hold a UK-wide pandemic response exercise at least every three years. The exercise should: test the UK-wide, cross-government, national and local response to a pandemic at all stages, from the initial outbreak …
Gov response: No formal response published by this government.
Accepted
COVID-M1.5 — Pandemic Data Systems and Research
Recommendation: The UK government, working with the devolved administrations, should establish mechanisms for the timely collection, analysis, secure sharing and use of reliable data for informing emergency responses, in advance of future pandemics. Data systems should be tested in pandemic exercises. …
Gov response: No formal response published by this government.
Accepted
COVID-M1.4 — UK-wide Civil Emergency Strategy
Recommendation: The UK government and devolved administrations should together introduce a UK-wide whole-system civil emergency strategy (which includes pandemics) to prevent each emergency and also to reduce, control and mitigate its effects. The strategy should: be adaptable; include sections dedicated to …
Gov response: No formal response published by this government.
Accepted in Part
COVID-M1.3 — Improved Risk Assessment Approach
Recommendation: The UK government and devolved administrations should work together on developing a new approach to risk assessment that moves away from a reliance on single reasonable worst-case scenarios towards an approach that: assesses a wider range of scenarios representative of …
Gov response: No formal response published by this government.
Accepted
COVID-M1.1 — Simplify Emergency Preparedness Structures
Recommendation: The governments of the UK, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland should each simplify and reduce the number of structures with responsibility for preparing for and building resilience to whole-system civil emergencies. The core structures should be: a single Cabinet-level or …
Gov response: No formal response published by this government.
Accepted
In progress
POH-19 — Publish restorative justice programme by 31 October 2025
Recommendation: By 31 October 2025, the Department, Fujitsu and the Post Office shall publish, either separately or together, a report outlining any agreed programme of restorative justice and/or any actions taken by that date to produce such a programme. For the …
Gov response: Department for Business and Trade accepts this recommendation. DBT, Post Office, and Fujitsu have jointly embarked on a postmaster-led restorative justice programme facilitated by the Restorative Justice Council. Sessions began on 23 September 2025. A …
Accepted
In progress
POH-18 — Devise redress process for affected family members
Recommendation: The Department shall devise a process for providing financial redress to close family members of those most adversely affected by Horizon. Such family members shall qualify for such redress only if they themselves, have suffered serious adverse consequences by reason …
Gov response: Department for Business and Trade accepts this recommendation. Some close family members of postmasters suffered serious adverse consequences because of the Horizon scandal. DBT is committed to establishing a redress scheme for close family members …
Accepted
In progress
POH-17 — Establish standing public body to administer future redress schemes
Recommendation: As soon as is reasonably practicable, HM Government shall establish a standing public body which shall, when called upon to do so, devise, administer and deliver schemes for providing financial redress to persons who have been wronged by public bodies.
Gov response: Department for Business and Trade acknowledges this recommendation and sees clear advantages in establishing a standing public body for financial redress. However, the government recognises that establishing such an independent redress body requires careful consideration …
Response Unclear
In progress
POH-13 — Close HSS Dispute Resolution Procedure when HSSA opens
Recommendation: The current Dispute Resolution Procedure in HSS should be closed once all claimants currently within the Procedure have either (a) settled their claims or (b) transferred to HSSA. No claimant who is not in the Dispute Resolution Procedure when HSSA …
Gov response: Post Office, in consultation with DBT, has carefully considered this recommendation, but both parties agree that it is fairer to postmasters to allow them to continue to opt to resolve their claims within the Dispute …
Not Accepted
POH-11 — Apply best offer principle equally in GLOS
Recommendation: The "best offer" principle which will apply in HSSA, as explained in response to Recommendation 10, shall be equally applicable in GLOS.
Gov response: Department for Business and Trade accepts this recommendation. The "best offer" principle applies equally across GLO, HSSA, and HCRS schemes at all panel stages. This has been in effect since 12 August. DBT will retrospectively …
Accepted
77 — CSA experience for Chief Officer progression
Recommendation: The Chair and Panel recommend that any police officer (or staff equivalent) who wants to progress to the Chief Officer cadre must first be required to: have operational policing experience in preventing and responding to child sexual abuse; and achieve …
Gov response: The Home Office agrees that there is a need within the police to raise the profile and status of work to tackle child sexual abuse. However, the Home Office is concerned that the Inquiry's recommendation …
Not Accepted
MACP-37 — Fully record and disclose prosecution discontinuance decisions to victims or families.
Recommendation: That the CPS ensure that all decisions to discontinue any prosecution should be carefully and fully recorded in writing, and that save in exceptional circumstances, such written decisions should be disclosable to a victim or a victim's family.
Unknown
MACP-36 — CPS must personally notify victims and families of discontinuance decisions sensitively.
Recommendation: That the CPS should have the positive duty always to notify a victim and victim's family personally of a decision to discontinue, particularly in cases of racist crime, with speed and sensitivity.
Unknown
MACP-35 — Consult and inform victims or families about any proposal to discontinue proceedings.
Recommendation: That the CPS ensure that a victim or victim's family shall be consulted and kept informed as to any proposal to discontinue proceedings.
Unknown
MACP-33 — Establish a rebuttable presumption for prosecution in the public interest test.
Recommendation: That the CPS should consider that, in deciding whether a criminal prosecution should proceed, once the CPS evidential test is satisfied there should be a rebuttable presumption that the public interest test should be in favour of prosecution.
Unknown
MACP-31 — Ensure training and use of victim/witness liaison officers for racist incidents.
Recommendation: That Police Services ensure the provision of training and the availability of victim/witness liaison officers, and ensure their use in appropriate areas particularly in the field of racist incidents and crimes, where the need for a sensitive approach to young …
Unknown
MACP-29 — Develop guidelines for handling victims and witnesses, especially in racist incidents.
Recommendation: That Police Services should together with the Home Office develop guidelines as to the handling of victims and witnesses, particularly in the field of racist incidents and crimes. The Victim's Charter to be reviewed in this context.
Unknown
MACP-4 — Conduct immediate HMIC inspection of Metropolitan Police Service, including undetected murders.
Recommendation: That in order to restore public confidence an inspection by HMIC of the Metropolitan Police Service be conducted forthwith. The inspection to include examination of current undetected HOLMES based murders and Reviews into such cases.
Unknown
HIDD-91 — Ensure fault finding teams are accompanied by police and photographer for evidence
Recommendation: BR fault finding teams shall report to the Railway Incident Officer who, in consultation with the Police Incident Officer, shall ensure, in all but the most exceptional circumstances, that the team is accompanied by a police officer and a photographer …
Unknown
AR-3 — Commissioner to Appoint Debrief Officer
Recommendation: In the event of a shooting by an MPS officer that results in death or serious injury, the Commissioner should thereupon appoint a senior officer to conduct a full, operational debriefing. The officer must have sufficient seniority to not be …
Gov response: No formal government response published. MPS confirmed implementation of senior officer debriefing procedures on 12 August 2014.
Accepted
AR-1 — Full Review of Operation Tayport
Recommendation: I recommend that, as soon as is reasonably practicable, the MPS undertake a full, thorough review of all aspects of Operation Tayport. The review should be conducted by a senior officer appointed by the Commissioner with no inhibitions about critical …
Gov response: No formal government response published. MPS confirmed implementation on 3 June 2014 following internal review by Commander Basu.
Accepted
DM-20 — HOLMES access for independent panels
Recommendation: All independent panels and inquiries examining police investigations should be given full access to the associated HOLMES accounts at their secure premises when they begin their work.
Gov response: Since 2020, police HOLMES databases have become Cloud-based, making the system accessible for the first time via a corporately managed device for those with the appropriate security clearance and purpose.
Accepted
DM-8 — Guidance on disclosing material to journalists
Recommendation: Guidance should be issued by the Metropolitan Police to enable officers to determine whether it is appropriate, necessary and lawful to disclose investigative material to journalists. That guidance should include a requirement to record by whom, to whom and when …
Gov response: The College of Policing's counter-corruption APP already outlines categories of inappropriate associations that should be recorded and what notifiable association policies should look like for police forces. This includes that any associations with private investigators …
Accepted
No update 2+ yrs
DM-5 — Separate SIO and Family Liaison Officer roles
Recommendation: The Metropolitan Police should ensure that the role of the Family Liaison Officer is never carried out by the Senior Investigating Officer of an investigation. There is an inherent conflict between these two roles.
Gov response: The new National Major Crime Investigation Manual (MCIM) published in November 2021 covers all aspects of major crime investigation and sets the standard for all forces alongside the relevant Authorised Professional Practice (APP) produced by …
Accepted
DM-3 — Prevent replication of Abelard Two management failures
Recommendation: It is recommended that the Metropolitan Police introduce systems to ensure that the management arrangements which applied during the Abelard Two Investigation can never be replicated in any future investigation, and that proper management arrangements, in compliance with the Association …
Gov response: The MPS has given assurances that the management arrangements during this particular investigation (Abelard Two) would not happen under current structures and have updated the relevant conflict of interest declaration and policy. The new National …
Accepted
JB-15.16 — Requirements for sustained public protection operations
Recommendation: APP-AP should be amended to cover the following: a. Sustained public protection should never be the object of an operation unless and until there is a clearly recorded note of the possible charge(s) that are anticipated, the evidence that will …
Gov response: MPS formally responded on 28 October 2022 (para 31). MPS carefully considering recommendation. Considers sustained public protection broader than conviction and imprisonment. Welcomes further APP-AP guidance.
Accepted
JB-15.7 — Recording and documentation of firearms planning meetings and briefings
Recommendation: MPS Armed Policing Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to be amended so that: a. Notes and/or audio recordings should be made of all meetings in relation to general strategy where it is envisaged that firearms may or will be deployed during …
Gov response: MPS formally responded on 28 October 2022 (paras 17-20). Internal guidance issued to all SFCs and TFCs on comprehensive minutes for planning meetings. PUoF SOP consistent with APP-AP. Recording of firearms briefings still under review …
Accepted
No update 2+ yrs
JB-15.1 — Clarify separation of SIO and firearms commander roles
Recommendation: There should be clearer guidance from the MPS, College of Policing and/or the NPCC on the separation of roles between the Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) and the Tactical and Strategic Firearms Commanders (TFC and SFC). The guidance should be clear …
Gov response: MPS formally responded on 28 October 2022 (paras 5-6). MO19 internal review commenced July 2021; DAC Barbara Gray authorised interim position separating SFC from investigation team. Chief Inspector Tom Williams led formal MO19 recommendations paper …
Accepted
82 — Metropolitan Police investigation into Lambeth Council
Recommendation: The Metropolitan Police Service should consider whether there are grounds for a criminal investigation into Lambeth Council's actions when providing information to the coroner about the circumstances surrounding LA-A2's death.
Gov response: The Metropolitan Police Service informed the Inquiry that it has accepted this recommendation.
Accepted
No update 2+ yrs
3 — Disapply 12-month limit for CSA police complaints
Recommendation: The Chair and Panel recommend that the National Police Chiefs' Council ensures that complaints relating to child sexual abuse are no longer 'disapplied' by police forces on the grounds that the incident involved took place more than 12 months before …
Gov response: This recommendation is directed at the National Police Chiefs' Council which has responded separately to the Inquiry.
Accepted
SP31 — Response officer access to case information technology
Recommendation: 1. Lancashire Constabulary should ensure response officers have access to effective technology providing clear, essential case information. 2. The National Police Chiefs’ Council, College of Policing and Home Office should review whether current policing information systems, particularly the limitations on …
Gov response: The Home Office is the lead department for central government and has completed the recommended review. Progress and next steps: - The Home Office, jointly with the National Police Chiefs' Council and the Association of …
Accepted
In progress
SP28 — Recording case information on police systems
Recommendation: Lancashire Constabulary should ensure its training and systems address the risks associated with failing to record case information on police systems so it is readily available to others. The National Police Chiefs’ Council and College of Policing should consider whether …
Gov response: The government agrees with all 67 recommendations made by the Chair. The government recognises these five fundamental failings. These failings are unacceptable. There are a further 27 recommendations that require delivery by organisations that sit …
Accepted
In progress
SP27 — Cross-force information sharing review
Recommendation: Lancashire Constabulary and Merseyside Police should review the effectiveness of their information‑sharing systems and consider whether a more robust process is required. Findings should be shared with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and College of Policing for consideration as to …
Gov response: The government agrees with all 67 recommendations made by the Chair. The government recognises these five fundamental failings. These failings are unacceptable. There are a further 27 recommendations that require delivery by organisations that sit …
Accepted
In progress
SP26 — Recording words and behaviour of high-risk individuals
Recommendation: Lancashire Constabulary, and the College of Policing nationally, should ensure that forms and training emphasise the importance of recording, as precisely as possible, the words and behaviour of individuals who may pose a significant risk to others.
Gov response: The government agrees with all 67 recommendations made by the Chair. The government recognises these five fundamental failings. These failings are unacceptable. There are a further 27 recommendations that require delivery by organisations that sit …
Accepted
In progress
WATE-(19) — Establish senior officer liaison with police for child abuse investigations
Recommendation: Whenever a police investigation follows upon a complaint of abuse of a looked after child, the senior officer referred to in recommendation (18) or another senior officer assigned for the specific purpose should establish and maintain close liaison with the …
Unknown
LAMI-99 — Amend Working Together for police to exclusively conduct child criminal investigations.
Recommendation: The Working Together arrangements must be amended to ensure the police carry out completely, and exclusively, any criminal investigation elements in a case of suspected injury or harm to a child, including the evidential interview with a child victim. This …
Unknown
LAMI-98 — Social services must inform police immediately of child criminal offence referrals.
Recommendation: The guideline set out at paragraph 5.8 of Working Together must be strictly adhered to: whenever social services receive a referral which may constitute a criminal offence against a child, they must inform the police at the earliest opportunity.
Unknown
LAMI-97 — Ensure child crime investigation is equal to other serious crime investigations.
Recommendation: Chief constables must ensure that the investigation of crime against children is as important as the investigation of any other form of serious crime. Any suggestion that child protection policing is of a lower status than other forms of policing …
Unknown
LAMI-96 — Review police protection systems for Children Act compliance and designated inspector officer.
Recommendation: Police forces must review their systems for taking children into police protection and ensure they comply with the Children Act 1989 and Home Office guidelines. In particular, they must ensure that an independent officer of at least inspector rank acts …
Unknown
LAMI-95 — ACPO must produce and implement standards-based child protection service.
Recommendation: The Association of Chief Police Officers must produce and implement the standards-based service, as recommended by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in the 1999 thematic inspection report, Child Protection.
Unknown
LAMI-94 — Require supervisory officers to actively ensure proper investigation of serious child crimes.
Recommendation: In cases of serious crime against children, supervisory officers must, from the beginning, take an active role in ensuring that a proper investigation is carried out.
Unknown
LAMI-93 — Require manager involvement from both agencies in joint child harm investigations.
Recommendation: Whenever a joint investigation by police and social services is required into possible injury or harm to a child, a manager from each agency should always be involved at the referral stage, and in any further strategy discussion.
Unknown