CONDUCT AND PERFORMANCE CAPLOS – THERE IN


YOUR TIME OF NEED In the first of a series looking at the work of Police Federation sub-committees we speak to Phill Matthews, who chairs Conduct and Performance. Sophie Garrod reports


Catch up


with a CAPLO Fed rep Ian Spain is a Conduct and Performance Lead in Humberside


Whether you have served two years or 20, being investigated for misconduct can be one of the most stressful experiences in a police officer’s career. Horror stories of officers with their lives put on hold as investigations drag on, are enough to make anyone lose confidence in the system. The national Federation’s Conduct and


Performance Sub-Committee is focused on making the professional standards and conduct system fairer for members. Committee Chair Phill Matthews said:


“The Federation is lobbying for a culture change in police discipline – shifting from blame and punishment towards learning and performance. We’re making the case for a new mindset where forces accept that mistakes, errors or poor working practice can be corrected and learned from – not just by the individual but the whole service. “If forces are still throwing minor issues


into the misconduct arena, then they are failing their workforce. That’s what’s on our radar. We are all Fed reps with members’ best interests at heart and we’re actively fighting your corner.” The Federation launched a campaign last year (Time Limits) calling for a 12-month cap on disciplinary proceedings from the moment an allegation is made. MPs and


DID YOU KNOW?


Unsocial hours allowance is payable to a Federated officer for every full hour worked between 8pm and 6am. It is at an hourly rate of 10 per cent of the member’s hourly rate of pay. For more on your rights see - www.polfed.org


the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) have been lobbied, and cases of members subjected to unreasonably long investigations cited (along with the personal toll on their mental health and family). Progress is being made. New regulations mean the IOPC or a police force must provide an explanation for a delay in investigations – and the watchdog has accepted it must complete investigations quicker.


Out of 31,671 public complaints made against officers in 2017/18 only a tiny number (34 officers) were dismissed. Many cases are now resolved through management action giving the officer an opportunity to learn from minor mistakes. The committee has helped shape new conduct and performance regulations which tie into this. Members of the committee hold weekly training sessions with Conduct and Performance Liaison Officers (CAPLOs) from around the country and exchange ideas. Mr Matthews added: “We hope officers never have to face a misconduct investigation but in policing anything can happen. If you’re ever in trouble, contact your local Federation right away. We will always support members throughout any investigation both legally and emotionally.”


Why did you become a CAPLO? Taking on the CAPLO portfolio full-time in 2013 gave me an opportunity to run a team, upskill Fed reps and spread the workload more evenly around the Branch Board.


What’s been your biggest challenge? Being the Post Incident Lead for the Federation locally and providing 365-day duty cover is a big responsibility. Someone may be seriously injured or lose their life in police contact. The legal and welfare support of members involved is the highest test of a Fed rep.


What is your proudest accomplishment as a CAPLO? Having reps in my team thanked by the members and colleagues for how they have conducted a case.


What are relations like with PSD and the IOPC? The Federation’s mantra is ‘represent, influence and negotiate’. We need a working relationship with investigating ofcers to do that. Animosity is counterproductive. Constructive challenge where needed is made, but it cannot become a personal matter for the Fed reps.


What’s your number one concern? Timeliness of investigations. I see the void that is left when a case is left months, sometimes years, from the initial interview to a decision. It is unfair and unjustified. I welcome the new regulations that require a justification beyond 12 months, but this falls short of action for failure by the agency responsible for the delay. My team and the wider Federation will continue to push for change.


SEPTEMBER 2020 | POLICE | 25


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