Sir Mark Rowley Demands Shake-Up in Police Accountability
Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has called for urgent reforms in how police officers are held accountable, especially when using force or during pursuits. He slammed the current system as “long overdue for reform” and full of “imbalances” that hinder officers and public trust.
Home Secretary Backs Review of Met Police Scrutiny
Sir Mark praised Home Secretary Suella Braverman’s announcement of a review into police oversight, particularly targeting the Metropolitan Police. In a frank open letter, he admitted the Met is making progress but stressed the system still fails its officers.
Top Recommendations to Fix the Flawed System
- Subjective Criminal Law Test: Sir Mark wants to switch from an objective civil test to a simpler subjective test for self-defence in police misconduct cases — speeding up justice and protecting the public.
- Criminal Standard of Proof in Inquests: He proposes using the criminal standard for unlawful killing inquests to align coronial findings with court outcomes.
- Tighter Rules on IOPC Investigations: Sir Mark warns the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) sometimes launches probes too soon, harming public confidence. He suggests adopting a “reasonable suspicion” threshold used in other crimes.
Changes Needed for Police Complaints and Use of Force
- Stronger Legal Shields for Officers: Review of Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) policies to better protect officers who use force, clarifying charge decisions and reasoning.
- Time Limits on Investigations: Introducing deadlines for IOPC and CPS actions to prevent drawn-out, punishing investigations and speed up justice when officers are cleared or found guilty.
- Balanced Info Release: Improving how incident details are shared with the public to ease community tensions, with a bias towards providing fuller context from the start.
Protecting Officers on the Frontline
Sir Mark highlighted that police properly investigate deaths but also need a system boosting confidence without strangling officers in red tape. Firearms officers, he said, face some of the toughest challenges, attending about 4,000 armed incidents yearly but only rarely firing their weapons.
He stressed these brave officers require clear legal protections to act decisively and safely.
Backing from Policing Chiefs Suggests Change is Coming
The proposed reforms have won backing from the Chief Executive of the College of Policing and the Chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council. Their support hints these changes could soon start improving police work across the UK.
