CAMPAIGNS KEEP IT SIMPLE
Support has been pouring in for the Federation’s #SimplifyDG6 campaign, which aims to make it easier for officers to do their jobs effectively
Following the campaign’s launch, the
• Officer A devotes at least an extra four hours to every case for redaction.
• Officer A is working from multiple guidance documents because there
• Officer A believes they, and their supervisors, need more training
on nationally agreed disclosure procedures.
On 30 August 2022, the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) launched the #SimplifyDG6 campaign to stop its members from becoming Officer A. The targeted campaign was launched following the release of the Annual Review of Disclosure by the Attorney General’s Office (the Annual Review) on 26 May 2022.
The review acknowledged many of the
shortcomings in the Guidance that have placed significant additional pressures on policing when submitting any case file to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for charging decisions. The campaign asks the Government to make amendments to the Data Protection Act (DPA) that will simplify the redaction obligations placed on police officers, and calls on the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), the College of Policing, and the CPS to work jointly with the Federation in ensuring all our members receive nationally agreed face-to-face training on disclosure procedures.
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is no single authoritative guidance on redacting case material.
NPCC was quick to engage with PFEW through the Police Federation National Detectives’ Forum (PFNDF) and a month later, the amended Joint Principles for Redaction was issued. The revised Joint Principles for Redaction was developed by the CPS and the NPCC Disclosure portfolio setting out their joint position on how to approach data protection responsibilities. On 6 October 2022, in a joint letter urging all chief constables and chief crown prosecutors of England and Wales to apply the revised guidance, Tim De Meyer, Assistant Chief Constable and NPCC Lead for Disclosure, and Greg McGill, Director of Legal Services of CPS said: “We are confident that this guidance, applied correctly, will reduce the redaction burden while complying with the legal framework”. Subsequently, PFEW issued a toolkit
providing detailed guidance to its members about how to apply the revised guidance. Highlighting the progress achieved
so far, PFNDF Chair and Secretary of Suffolk Police Federation, Detective Inspector Ben Hudson, who is leading the campaign, said: “Since its launch,
the Government to execute a legislative amendment to Part 3 of the DPA to create a data bubble between the police service nationally and the CPS. This would free up thousands of policing hours every year, as pre-charge redactions would not be required and chief constables could better utilise allocated budgets when the Government is restricting public spending. The campaign’s request for a legislative
amendment to the DPA has found a strong ally in one of Suffolk’s Conservative MPs, Peter Aldous who, on 10 January 2023, raised the issue in Parliament and asked Edward Argar, minister of State for Victims and Sentencing: “Has my Right Honourable Friend liaised with colleagues in Government with regard to amending the Data Protection Act to ease the bureaucratic burden on policing and to speed up the administration of justice?” To this the Minister replied: “We are
“Creating a data bubble between the police service nationally and the CPS would free up thousands of policing hours every year”
the campaign has achieved noteworthy milestones, including the issue being raised on the floor of Parliament. “We are pleased to be made part of the National Disclosure Improvement Board for the first time and welcome the revised Joint Principles for Redaction issued by the NPCC and CPS. However, this does not mitigate the impact of case file-building on policing and justice delivery. Therefore, we are asking the Government to amend the DPA to enable police forces to safely share data with the prosecutors without the gratuitous obligations to redact evidence.” The campaign is specifically asking
determined to reduce any unnecessary bureaucratic barriers that make it harder for our police, and criminal justice system more broadly, to work as effectively as possible. While I am not aware of any discussions about the specific issue that my Honourable Friend mentions, or about the Section 29 exemption for policing under the DPA, I am aware that the Police Federation is doing some work on the issue. If he is willing to write to me with
more details, I am very happy to look into the matter further.” Peter has written to Chris Philp, Minister
of State for Crime, Policing and Fire, highlighting the campaign and emphasising the reasons for amending the DPA. Commenting on the political support #SimplifyDG6 has garnered, Ben said: “It is encouraging that lawmakers, such as Peter Aldous, are voicing our concerns before the Government in Parliament. “It is our position that there is an urgent need for amending the DPA. We hope to formally engage with the Attorney General’s office to see how these concerns can be addressed.”
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