Police complaints and discipline Review of complaints and disciplinary systems
On 22 July 2014, the Home Secretary made a further statement to Parliament (House of Commons, Official Report, columns 1265 to 1267) on the ongoing work to ensure the highest standards of integrity in the police. In the statement she announced:
	a review of the police disciplinary system to be chaired by Major-General Chip Chapman (the "Chapman review"), with a consultation to follow which would include proposals to hold police misconduct hearings in public with legally-qualified panel chairs;
	a single national policy for police forces on whistle-blowing alongside a plan to publish more information on conduct issues raised by police officers and the action taken as a result;
	plans to consider the introduction of sealed investigations into serious misconduct and corruption by police officers;
	regulations to ensure that officers cannot resign or retire to avoid dismissal in misconduct hearings; and
	a review of the entire police complaints system, including the role, powers and funding of the IPCC and the local role played by PCCs that would be followed by a public consultation. The aim of the review was to put forward proposals for a system that is more independent of the police, easier for the public to follow, more focused on resolving complaints locally and that has a simpler system of appeals.
	The Chapman Review was completed in October 2014 and concluded that the current police disciplinary system is too complex and lacked transparency and independence, with much of the system being managed by police forces themselves. The review made 39 recommendations for improving the current system. The Home Office has already implemented some of the recommendations through secondary legislation, including to provide for police misconduct hearings and appeals to be held in public. Independent legally-qualified chairs were introduced from January 2016, replacing senior police officers as chairs of misconduct hearing panels. In addition, the Police (Conduct) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 (SI 2014/3347) prevents officers from resigning or retiring to avoid investigation for gross misconduct.
	In December 2014, the Government launched a public consultation, Improving police integrity: reforming the police complaints and disciplinary systems. The consultation found that elements of the police complaints system do not work efficiently or effectively and few of those involved with the system have confidence in it.
	On 12 March 2015, the Home Secretary announced a range of reforms (House of Commons, Official Report, columns 36WS-38WS) as set out in the Government’s response to the consultation.
	Changes to the police disciplinary system include:
	Extending the disciplinary regime to former officers for up to 12 months after they leave the police;
	Ensuring that the IPCC investigate all cases involving chief officers;
	Allowing the IPCC to present its own cases to disciplinary hearing panels.
	Changes to the police complaints system include:
	Simplifying the complaints system;
	A stronger role for PCCs;
	Clarifying the definition of a complaint;
	Ending the practice of non-recording complaints;
	Measures to strengthen protections for police whistle-blowers;
	Changes to the powers of the IPCC; and
	Introducing a system of super-complaints.
	Chapters 1 to 4 of Part 2 of the Act give effect to those reforms announced in March 2015 requiring primary legislation.