IPCC: Fit for Purpose?

Abstract

The documents examined in this chapter are investigation reports produced by the IPCC into cases of DAPC. The chapter evaluates similarities and differences between the IPCC and coronial system in how they construct accountability in terms of processes used and findings produced. The relationality of independence has been established, as was the fact that this linked to other relational concepts such as accountability and transparency. The latter issue has been repeatedly criticised by families of those who have died, by campaign groups and most recently by the Home Office (2015) in its triennial review of the IPCC. This is borne out in my research. Of the narrative verdicts considered in the previous chapter, approximately one-third were available as investigation reports through the IPCC web portal. After a Freedom of Information request it became apparent that one-third of the deaths were not investigated by the IPCC but by PSDs within the police. The final third were eventually made available to me in a redacted form. Clearly this brings into question the openness and transparency of IPCC processes. It also brings into question how accountable the IPCC are in investigating cases of DAPC, not least because it did not investigate a third of the deaths in the dataset. Finally, it brings into question the IPCC role in promoting public confidence in the police: if the investigations into the majority of these deaths were not available, this would suggest a system of police regulation that was at best disorganised and at worst had something to hide. This is far from ideal when its goal is to promote public trust in policing throughout England and Wales. A more general point is to consider the issues listed above in questioning the cognitive and procedural legitimacy of the IPCC in terms of its relevance to society, police and the state. Evidently these concepts exist in both symbolic and practical form, with the discussion above demonstrating that the practical forms of openness and transparency are questionable in the context of the IPCC investigating cases of DAPC.