HMIC Report: Without fear or favour: A review of police relationships.
Tuesday, 13 December, 2011
Commenting on the publication today of the Report by HMIC (Without fear or favour: A review of police relationships) the President of the Police Superintendents'' Association of England and Wales, Chief Superintendent Derek Barnett said; "It is understandable that the recent high profile cases questioning police integrity, although extremely rare, should lead to a thorough review by Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary. The report makes it clear that the majority of the public regard the police as being honest and free from corruption.
However, the message from the public is that they expect the police service to be fair and impartial and therefore it is a matter of critical importance that the police should not only act fairly, they must also be seen to act fairly.
While the Review recognises that few organisations take the matter of integrity and corruption as seriously as the police service, we should endeavour to redouble our efforts to robustly tackle issues of integrity and honesty and I fully accept the conclusions and recommendations made within the review. The review does highlight the variable levels of audit and lack of clear and consistent guidance in relation to the acceptance of gifts and hospitality and this should be addressed as a matter of urgency.
Strong and clear leadership is essential in promoting an ethical police service and ensuring that all police officers and staff act within the law and to uphold the strong reputation that we have for honesty, integrity and impartiality. I have no doubt that my members within the superintending ranks understand the importance of acting effectively to strengthen our efforts to achieve this and to continue to reassure the public."
