Values, Legitimacy and Ethics Flashcards
Who was Sir Robert Peel?
Sir Robert Peel became Home Secretary in 1822 and established the idea of professional policing.
Peel’s Metropolitan Police Act 1829 established a full-time, professional and centrally-organised police force for the Greater London area, known as the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).
He developed nine principles, which were set out in the ‘General Instructions’ issued to every new police officer in the MPS.
What are Peel’s nine principles?
- The basic mission for which the police exist is to prevent crime and disorder.
- The ability of the police to perform their duties is dependent upon the public approval of police actions.
- The police must secure the willing co-operation of the public in voluntary observation of the law to be able to secure and maintain the respect of the public.
- The degree of co-operation of the public that can be secured diminishes proportionately to the necessity of the use of physical force.
- The Police seek and preserve public favour not by catering to public opinion, but by constantly demonstrating absolute impartial service to the law.
- The Police use physical force to the extent necessary to secure observance of the law or to restore order only when the exercise of persuasion, advice, and warning is found to be insufficient.
- The Police, at all times, should maintain a relationship with the public that gives reality to the historic tradition that the police are the public and the public are the police; the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full-time attention to duties which are incumbent upon every citizen in the interests of community welfare and existence.
- The Police should always direct their action strictly towards their functions, and never appear to usurp the powers of the judiciary.
- The test of police efficiency is the absence of crime and disorder, not the visible evidence of police action in dealing with it.
Which of these is the British police an example of?
A legislature
A civil government
An enforcement agency
A judiciary
An enforcement agency
What are Special Constables?
Special constables are officers who have the same powers as a full time police officer, but undertake the role on a voluntary basis.
Some special constables have been doing the role for years and not only have excellent policing knowledge but also bring their work experience and skills from outside policing to the role.
What are PCSOs?
PCSOs work alongside police constables, to predominantly police neighbourhoods.
Their role is to help reduce crime and anti-social behaviour and provide reassurance to the public. They are not attested and warranted constables – they do not have the same power of arrest as a constable, under Section 24 Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.
However, they may utilise the ‘any person’ power of arrest under Section 24(a) Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (commonly referred to as the ‘citizen’s arrest’).
What is the Role of Home Secretary?
The Home Secretary is responsible for policing in England and Wales and also leads on immigration and citizenship in the UK. They are in charge of all matters relating to national security - MI5 is also accountable to the Home Secretary. Prisons and probation come under the remit of the Ministry of Justice rather than the Home Secretary.
Police in the UK are prohibited by law from being part of what?
A trade union, but they are allowed to join staff associations.
What is The Police Federation of England and Wales?
This is the statutory staff association of England and Wales. The Police Federation negotiates with the relevant bodies for its members’ pay, pensions, annual leave, allowances, etc.
Distinct to a union, the Federation is controlled by police officers rather than being affiliated to a political party.
Members of the public can complain about the police in several ways:
Complete an online complaint form
Write to the force in question
Dial 101 and report a complaint over the telephone
Go to a police station in person
Use the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) online form.
Who will investigate or deal with the complaint?
The key priority, whenever possible, is to resolve the complaint locally - generally at the Sergeant or Inspector rank. These officers will listen to the complaint, consider what might have happened, ask the member of the public how they want the issue to be resolved, and attempt to find a resolution. Many complaints can be resolved through an explanation, an apology and some practical action to help people.
Dealing with officers who have acted unprofessionally
Different procedures exist depending on the type of unprofessionalism:
Misconduct
Unsatisfactory Performance
Unsatisfactory Attendance
Dealing with officers who have acted unprofessionally
What are the Unsatisfactory Performance Procedures (UPP)?
This is essentially is a 3-stage process.
- Officers are spoken to about the performance issue, support and guidance is given to improve including a detailed action plan, and a period of time is given in which to improve (e.g. 6 weeks). If improvement is seen and sustained (for example for another 3-12 months) then the issue is resolved.
If sufficient improvement is not seen, then it will progress to stage 2. This is essentially the same (but a second chance) and dealt with by your line managers line manager. If improvement is seen and sustained, then the issue is resolved.
If it is not, then it will progress to stage 3 which is the final opportunity to improve. If no improvement is seen after stage 3 then dismissal is a possibility.
Dealing with officers who have acted unprofessionally
If it is Misconduct
If it is Misconduct – (i.e. against the code of ethics) then as stated above, depending on the seriousness it will either be investigated locally or by the Professional Standards Unit. If the investigation shows that misconduct has occurred there are several possible outcomes (ranging from Management Action or Advice, to written warnings up to dismissal)
Dealing with officers who have acted unprofessionally
This is dealt with in the same way as Unsatisfactory Performance (i.e. 3 stages in which at each stage an opportunity is given to improve attendance). This is activated when people have a large amount of sickness days off.
Every appropriate effort is made through case conferences to ensure that everything possible is being done to help officers back to work (including Occupational Health Support, counselling, recuperative duties, phased return with steadily increasing hours etc).
