Aim:
Provide independent oversight and assurance regarding Humberside Police’s handling of misconduct and disciplinary cases. The panel aims to enhance public confidence by ensuring disciplinary processes are fair, transparent, and aligned with policy and ethical standards.
Scope:
- To scrutinise a sample of misconduct cases quarterly, including:
- Gross Misconduct Hearings
- Misconduct Meetings
- Reflective Practice Review Process (RPRP) cases
Decision Making:
The pain aims to assess whether appropriate outcomes and learning have been applied. The panel will also provide feedback and recommendations to Humberside Police and the OPCC. This panel will look to support transparency and public reassurance through quarterly reporting, which will be made public via the OPCC website.
Panel Composition:
The panel will consist of:
- 5 Chairs from existing OPCC scrutiny panels (including the Ethics & Scrutiny Chair)
- Potential for 2 additional members from relevant scrutiny panels (e.g., DA/VAWG, Use of Force), selected based on the thematic focus of the meeting
- Representatives from Humberside Police
- Representatives from the OPCC
Support:
The Group will be supported by the OPCC Assurance and Statutory Duties Team. The OPCC will take notes of all meetings and a public summary provided where relevant.
Quorum:
The Group will not meet formally unless at least three Scrutiny Volunteers are present.
Meeting Dates:
The Group will meet at least quarterly (or more frequently for emerging issues) for half a day. The agenda will be generated by the OPCC and sent out at least seven days prior to any meeting.
Case Review Process
Redacted case summaries will be provided to the OPCC in a redacted format and then shared via the secure OPCC Volunteer Hub 1 month in advance for review by panel members.
Scoring Criteria:
The samples/case studies will be discussed in detail by the members and scored using the below matrix:
- 1 - Panel in agreement with assessment
- 2 - Panel in agreement with assessment with comments
- 3 - Panel not in agreement with assessment
Thematic Focus
Meetings may include a thematic focus aligned with existing scrutiny panels (e.g., Domestic Abuse/VAWG, Use of Force). The two additional members will be selected based on relevance to the theme from a panel they currently represent.
Reporting and Transparency
The OPCC will publish a quarterly report summarising findings, themes, and recommendations. The reports will be made available on the OPCC website to promote transparency and public accountability.
Confidentiality and Data Handling
All case materials will be anonymised and redacted to protect privacy. Panel members must adhere to confidentiality agreements and data protection protocols as per the memorandum of understanding they have all signed to be part of our existing panels.
