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Home Office

Answer

Mr. Michael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many investigations into allegations of corruption involving officers (a) of the Metropolitan police, (b) serving with the the National Criminal Intelligence Service and (c) serving with the south-east regional crime squad have been (i) started and (ii) concluded in each of the past 10 years and in the current year. [6691] Mr. Maclean: [holding answer 2 December 1996]: Tables 1(i) and 1(ii) set out the numbers of investigations into allegations of corrupt practice against Metropolitan police officers arising from complaints from members of the public or arising from internal sources or internal investigations into corrupt practice, and the outcome of the investigations. The National Criminal Intelligence Service was formed 1 April 1992 and the south-east regional crime squad was set up on 1 April 1993. Police officers are seconded to these organisations from the Metropolitan Police service and from provincial forces. The responsibility for the conduct of any criminal or disciplinary investigation and, if appropriate, the suspension of seconded officers, rests with an officer's home force. Figures for NCIS and SERCS are included, therefore within the Metropolitan police service figures. I understand that there have been no other corruption investigations or allegations relating to officers seconded to these organisations from other forces. Table 1(i) and 1(ii) give figures from 1987 and 1994 onwards. Figures before these years are not readily available and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. A recorded case may include more than one allegation. In general terms, because of the nature of the investigations, an investigated case is unlikely to be completed in the year in which it is recorded. Table 1(i): Complaints from the public of corrupt practice against Metropolitan police officers between 1987 and 1996 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1st half 1996 Cases 28 53 45 44 39 34 25 35 19 11 recorded Allegations 34 40 33 28 26 24 27 54 40 24 completed Informal 0 5 5 3 5 3 0 6 3 0 resolutions Withdrawn 16 13 12 8 7 8 6 12 8 5 Dispensation 3 4 2 2 3 4 8 10 13 7 s granted Unsubstantia 11 17 13 13 10 7 11 26 15 11 ted Substantiate 4 1 1 2 1 2 2 0 1 1 d _________________________________________________________________________________________________. These figures start at 1987 as this was when the system was computerised previous to this the accuracy of figures cannot be guaranteed. Table 1(ii): Internal Investigations into corrupt practice against Metropolitan police officers 1994 to 1996 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 1994 1995 1st Half 1996 Cases recorded 51 58 27 Allegations completed 34 40 27 Not substantiated 18 26 7 Substantiated 16 14 20 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Previous to 1994 computer records of internal investigations were not held, so reliable figures cannot be collected without reference to the original files.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

6691; 286 c597-8W;286 c595-6W

Session

1996-97

Subjects

Discipline Corruption Police Metropolitan Police National Criminal Intelligence Service South East Regional Crime Squad

Contains statistics

Yes