Crime Bill Could Give Police Chiefs Power To Automatically Dismiss Officers

Police officers could have to hand over their phones if suspected of gross misconduct, and be automatically dismissed if convicted of a serious offence if changes to the government’s Criminal Justice Bill proposed by Labour MP Harriet Harman are accepted.

Former justice minister and solicitor general Harman is hoping to amend the government’s flagship crime bill to tighten up rules for police officers. 

New clauses Harman has already proposed to the legislation include one which would ensure automatic dismissal of a “member of a police force” if they are convinced of a serious criminal offence, and another which would mean automatic dismissal of an officer that fails vetting.

She has also tabled a further amendment which would mean officers have a duty to hand over a personal mobile phone to an “appropriate authority” if there are suspicions of the officer “behaving in a way that could amount to gross misconduct” and there is believed to be relevant information on the phone. 

When MPs return to the Commons after Easter recess later this month, Harman is hoping to bring forward another amendment, that if accepted, would abolish disciplinary panels and put chief constables in charge of dismissals, rather than leave them subject to the current set up which sees decisions made by a three-person panel. 

According to Harman’s proposals, officers would still be able to appeal to a tribunal, as they are able to do now.

The amendments Harman has already put forward have received cross-party support and been signed by colleagues from the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. 

Harman told PoliticsHome: “There is now a real mood that people want the police force to be able to have public confidence, and the only way they can have public