SWEEPING changes are under way in Hampshire Police's complaints department after it was named as one of the worst in the country. A report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary gave the force's Professional Standards Department (PSD) a poor rating. It was one of just four forces, out of the 43 in England and Wales, to get the worst possible score. The PSD is responsible for matters including the investigation of complaints, misconduct and corruption. The damning report said the department did not have enough staff to deal with the workload. It also criticised the lack of communication and intelligence sharing between the PSD and other key departments and inconsistency in the suspension, and restricted duties, given to police officers subject to investigation. It also highlighted the lack of confidence that staff generally had in the PSD's capability and visibility. "The PSD is a department that does not inspire confidence among all constabulary staff," the report said. "There is a perception by some staff that some investigating officers are not trained investigators and therefore lack objectivity. Specifically there was a perception that their ability to deal with hate crime was limited. "Concern was also expressed about the capability of some elements within the department and an example was given of a police officer having his/her identity and information revealed to the officers complained about. This single case has sent a very negative message around the constabulary about the PSD." Some of the PSD's work, however, was praised including the thorough and comprehensive approach to its complaints and misconduct investigations and the clear and transparent system for recording and investigating direction and control complaints. Police chiefs are now planning to improve and restructure the PSD in a bid to secure a good, or even excellent, rating in the next assessment. The number of staff will more than double to 27, regular meetings will be held with key departments to encourage intelligence sharing and joined up thinking and a new approach to resolving local complaints locally, instead of centrally, will be piloted. On Tuesday, Chief Constable Paul Kernaghan presented a report setting out the changes to Hampshire Police Authority. The report said: "The force solicitors department, with immediate effect, will be moved within PSD. This does not change the principle that professional capabilities remain the jurisdiction of the Chief Constable. In addition, PSD will recruit someone with a personnel background to work within PSD and be further trained in investigative and interview skills. "In accordance with the national intelligence model, senior representatives from each of these departments will meet on a regular basis to review all police complaints, civil misconduct and civil litigation cases to ensure that they are handled in an effective manner and that any lessons learned are captured and disseminated back into the workplace. "In addition the personnel department will provide three trained people who can be made available to PSD to provide assistance across the departmental boundaries, where and when necessary. "The following additional posts within PSD (have been) approved: two detective inspector/inspectors, two police sergeants, seven detective constables, one with financial investigation skills, two caseworkers and one personnel investigator. "This represents a total of 14 additional investigative posts within PSD. The existing PSD establishment of 13 staff will therefore be increase to 27 staff, placing Hampshire PSD on a par with Thames Valley. "However with 1,391 complaints registered in Hampshire during 2005, compared with 1,127 in Thames Valley, it could be argued that the workload will still be greater within Hampshire."
