Managing conflicts of interest.

Question 1

What is a conflict of interest?

Answer 1

A conflict between a police duty and private personal interest. Personal interests can be financial or relate to family, friends or associates. Conflicts of interest maybe actual, potential or perceived.

Question 2

Why do we need to manage conflicts of interest?

Answer 2

A poorly managed conflict of interest can undermine public trust and confidence because it can bring our impartiality into question.

A perceived or potential conflict of interest can be just as damaging as an actual conflict.

Well-managed conflicts protect both the employee and police from allegations of bias or inappropriate conduct.

Question 3

What should you do as a supervisor in relation to conflicts of interest?

Answer 3

Have regular conversations with your team so they can identify and manage conflicts. You must work with employees who declare conflicts of interest to assess the risks and to identify appropriate strategies to manage those risks.

Question 4

Give some examples of interests that could cause conflict.

Answer 4

Relationships with family, friends, partners or work colleagues

Being a member of a club, team or association
A financial interest in a company
Holding another public office
Political or union affiliations
Secondary employment
Accepting gifts, discounts or hospitality
Providing written character references

Question 5

Give some examples of higher risk conflicts of interest.

Answer 5

Internal investigations
Working and isolated in small communities
Procurement
Acting as a police rep for third-party organisation
Exercising discretionary powers
Licensing or vetting
Using information obtained on NIA
Managing staff
Reviewing decisions on which you played a role

Question 6

Should you provide a character reference as a private individual?

Answer 6

You can as a private individual. You should not sign off any reference with your police job title or use police letterhead. In certain situations you should never provide a reference e.g. a character reference for a firearms license.

Question 7

How do you maintain professional boundaries with victims?

Answer 7

Take responsibility for maintaining professional boundaries.
Document all contact in NIA
Involve a support person
Only speak to victims during work hours
Keep supervisors informed about meetings
Consider cultural values
Raise concerns with a colleague
Develop and follow a plan of contact

Question 8

What should a supervisor or manager do in relation to a conflict of interest?

Answer 8

Have discussions and communicate expectations.

Share your decisions and actions with your team

Assess the risk. Is it low medium or high?

Document the conflict and how it was managed.
Support staff.
Monitor any changes
Consider strategies to avoid conflict.

Seek advice from your own supervisor if you are unsure of the potential impact of a declared conflict.

Question 9

Define actual conflict of interest

Answer 9

A conflict between our official duties and our other interests that could interfere with a police employees ability to be impartial, objective and independent.

Question 10

Define perceived conflict of interest

Answer 10

The perception of outside observers that a police employees other interest may interfere with their ability to be impartial, objective and independent, whether or not that is the case.

Question 11

Define a potential conflict of interest

Answer 11

A situation where other interests have the potential to interfere with the Police employees official duties in the future, or where their official duties could affect their other interests in the future.

Question 12

Define other interests

Answer 12

Interests unrelated to Police, such as those of a personal, family or financial nature.

Question 13

What should you consider when identifying a conflict of interest?

Answer 13

You should consider whether the professional reputation would be damaged if friends, colleagues, or the public became aware of their involvement in a situation where they had other interests. And other words, would the action stand up to scrutiny?

If unsure whether a conflict exists, it is better to err on the side of transparency and discuss the situation with your supervisor.

Question 14

Conflicts of interest in their response context.

Answer 14

If Police attend a job and know the participants, must act immediately to protect life or property but then should discharge their duties and declare a conflict of interest as soon as possible afterwards.

If working in a small rural community document all decisions and discuss with supervisors at a later date.

Question 15

Conflicts of interest in an internal investigation.

Answer 15

High-risk for police when investigating their own. Essential that investigations are independent. Investigators must complete a independence of investigation conflict of interest declaration form. This form must be completed if an actual, perceived, or potential conflict of interest exists. This will prove the risk has been considered

Question 16

Conflicts of interest in a corporate context

Answer 16

Must be considered in every request for proposals or tender process or when engaging with contractors. Any employee participating in a tender process must complete the form conflict of interest in confidentiality agreement, whether or not a conflict exists.

Question 17

How do you keep yourself safe and others safe in relation to professional boundaries?

Answer 17

Take responsibility for maintaining professional boundaries
Document all contact in NIA
Involve a support person
Contact that person when working only.
Keep supervisor informed
Consider the cultural values
Raise concerns with a colleague
If in doubt, ask yourself whose needs are being met, yours or the member of the public.
Develop and follow a plan of contact