Thank you for contacting me about police corruption.
I wholly agree that the police service should and must be a transparent, accountable institution. I sincerely believe that police corruption is a betrayal of everything that policing stands for in this country. Not only does it erode public confidence in our entire criminal justice system but it also undermines democracy and civilised society.
I do welcome the fact that over recent years, action has been taken to combat police corruption. A new offence of police corruption, applicable solely to police officers, was introduced to sit alongside the existing offence of misconduct in public office. The offence carries a maximum sentence of fourteen years in prison. It is also the case that here is now a more efficient system for dealing with police misconduct. The investigation process is simpler and quicker, and an explanation is required if an investigation takes longer than 12 months.
However, it is clear that more needs to be done in response to the Daniel Morgan report. I therefore welcome the swift action of the Home Secretary who has written to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick to ask her to provide a detailed response to the panel’s recommendations for the Metropolitan police and the wider issues outlined in the report. The Home Secretary has committed to returning to Parliament to provide an update on progress made on this and other recommendations in the report once she have received responses from the Metropolitan Police and others.
You may also be also be encouraged to hear that the Home Secretary has announced that the next periodic review of The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has been brought forward and will start this summer. The report will include an assessment of the IOPC's effectiveness and efficiency as a strong police watchdog.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
Craig Whittaker MP
July 2021