Police misconduct sanctions
22 items
2 sources
Public confidence undermined by police officer misconduct not being appropriately investigated and sanctioned.
Cross-Source Insight
Police misconduct sanctions has been flagged across 2 independent accountability sources:
17 inquiry recs
5 PFD reports
This issue has been identified by multiple independent accountability bodies, suggesting it is a recurring systemic concern.
Inquiry Recommendations (17)
BAHA-1 — Prohibition on Hooding
Recommendation: The MoD should retain its current absolute prohibition on the use of hoods on Captured Personnel (CPErS).
Gov response: Accepted. The prohibition on hooding has been maintained and reinforced in all relevant doctrine and training.
Accepted
Delivered
BAHA-10 — Sight Deprivation Principles
Recommendation: Five principles on permitted sight deprivation should be consistently emphasised in JDP 1-10 and subordinate doctrine and instructions: (1) where practicable the need to deprive CPErS of their sight should be avoided in the first place; (2) there must be …
Gov response: Accepted. All five principles have been incorporated into JDP 1-10 and subordinate doctrine.
Accepted
Delivered
BAHA-11 — Sleep Deprivation Prohibition
Recommendation: JDP 1-10 should make clear that it is prohibited deliberately to keep prisoners awake, even for short periods, merely because they may shortly face tactical questioning or interrogation. CPErS may nevertheless be woken up in order to be tactically questioned …
Gov response: Accepted. JDP 1-10 has been updated to prohibit deliberate sleep deprivation while allowing necessary waking for questioning.
Accepted
Delivered
BAHA-12 — CPErS Meals Guidance
Recommendation: JDP 1-10 should give some guidance in relation to the number of daily meals for CPErS and the timing of them. Such guidance will obviously need to take into account the operational realities, particularly close to the point of capture.
Gov response: Accepted. Guidance on meal provision for CPErS has been included in doctrine.
Accepted
Delivered
BRIS-104 — Professional bodies must adopt flexible, local disciplinary actions for misconduct
Recommendation: In the exercise of their disciplinary function the professional regulatory bodies must adopt a more flexible approach towards what constitutes misconduct. They must deal with cases, as far as possible, at a local level and must have available a range …
Unknown
BRIS-115 — Discipline NHS staff who cover up or fail to report sentinel events
Recommendation: Members of staff in the NHS who cover up or do not report a sentinel event may be subject to disciplinary action by their employer or by their professional body.
Unknown
17 — Prohibit pain compliance techniques
Recommendation: The Chair and Panel consider that the use of pain compliance techniques should be seen as a form of child abuse, and that it is likely to contribute to a culture of violence, which may increase the risk of child …
Gov response: On 18 June 2020, the Ministry of Justice published the Charlie Taylor review of pain-inducing techniques in the youth secure estate. The review recommended that the Minimising and Managing Physical Restraint (MMPR) programme should be …
Not Accepted
FR-5 — Prohibit Pain Compliance Techniques
Recommendation: The Inquiry recommends (as originally stated in its Sexual Abuse of Children in Custodial Institutions: 2009-2017 Investigation Report, dated February 2019) that the UK government prohibits the use of any technique that deliberately induces pain (previously referred to by the …
Gov response: It is essential that staff are equipped to keep children safe in custodial institutions. That is why they must be trained in the use of safe pain-inducing techniques for scenarios where they may need to …
Not Accepted
JB-15.20 — Process for firearms officer return to duty after fatal shooting
Recommendation: There needs to be proper and objective consideration by the NPCC as to whether, and if so when, it is appropriate for a firearms officer to return to active deployment following their part in a fatal shooting. Such consideration must …
Gov response: No formal NPCC response published. MPS response (28 October 2022, para 38) noted this is a national recommendation. Requires NPCC to establish process for considering when a firearms officer should return to active deployment following …
Accepted
In progress
JB-15.24 — IOPC power to require management action below misconduct threshold
Recommendation: The IOPC should be provided with the power to require a force to take 'management action' in situations that fall short of misconduct but where standards of conduct and/or performance have fallen short of a reasonable public expectation. A force …
Gov response: Directed to Home Office. Part of broader review of complaints and disciplinary system.
Response Unclear
JB-15.25 — Simple misconduct allegations to survive officer resignation
Recommendation: Serious consideration should be given to the public interest in amending the current legislation so that allegations of 'simple' misconduct, as distinct from 'gross' misconduct, will survive following a police officer's resignation or retirement. I do not recommend that the …
Gov response: Directed to Home Office. Part of broader review of complaints and disciplinary system.
Response Unclear
MACP-55 — Implement and monitor new police disciplinary and complaints procedures for effectiveness
Recommendation: That the changes to Police Disciplinary and Complaints procedures proposed by the Home Secretary should be fully implemented and closely and publicly monitored as to their effectiveness.
Unknown
MACP-56 — Allow police disciplinary action for five years after an officer's retirement
Recommendation: That in order to eliminate the present provision which prevents disciplinary action after retirement, disciplinary action should be available for at least five years after an officer's retirement.
Unknown
MACP-57 — Ensure racist acts by police officers lead to disciplinary proceedings and dismissal
Recommendation: That the Police Services should through the implementation of a Code of Conduct or otherwise ensure that racist words or acts proved to have been spoken or done by police officers should lead to disciplinary proceedings, and that it should …
Unknown
MACP-58 — Home Secretary ensure independent investigation of serious complaints against police officers
Recommendation: That the Home Secretary, taking into account the strong expression of public perception in this regard, consider what steps can and should be taken to ensure that serious complaints against police officers are independently investigated. Investigation of police officers by …
Unknown
COVID-M2.5 — Advisory Group Terms of Appointment
Recommendation: The Government Office for Science (GO-Science), the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government and the Department of Health (Northern Ireland) should each develop standard terms of appointment for all participants in scientific advisory groups. These terms should include: clarity around the …
Gov response: No government response yet received. Module 2 report published 20 November 2025.
Response Unclear
COVID-M2.6 — Enact Socio-economic Duty
Recommendation: The UK government should bring into force in England section 1 of the Equality Act 2010, implementing the socio-economic duty. The Northern Ireland Assembly and Northern Ireland Executive should consider an equivalent provision within section 75 of the Northern Ireland …
Gov response: No formal response published by this government.
Unknown
PFD Reports (5)
Terri Harris, John-Paul Bennett, Lacey Bennett and Connie Gent
Concerns: Probation Service offender records lacked clear, prominent recording of critical risk information, leading to unread vital details and insufficient domestic abuse and child safeguarding checks. Systemic issues contributed to ongoing risks.
Overdue
Kevin Clarke
Concerns: Police training inadequately addresses detainee health in non-emergency situations, with officers lacking vital sign measurement skills. There was ineffective safety officer monitoring, poor leadership and risk assessment during restraint, and insufficient paramedic input.
Responded
Anne-Marie Nield
Concerns: Police officers widely misunderstood Domestic Abuse policy, failed to use system markers or recognize non-fatal strangulation as a risk factor, conducted inadequate assessments, and critical recommendations remained unimplemented.
Responded
Neil Budziszewski
Concerns: Multiple failures in police custody included incomplete and unreviewed risk assessments, lack of 30-minute rousing checks for an alcoholic detainee, and inadequate staff training on managing risks associated with alcohol withdrawal.
Responded
Elsie Gibson
Concerns: The Council, as Highways Authority, failed to promptly investigate and take action against an unlicensed scaffold tower that narrowed a pavement, leading to a fatal injury.
Overdue