LQC roles
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Legally Qualified Chairs act as Chair in respect of police misconduct hearings taking place within the London Region, specifically Metropolitan Police Service, City of London Police, British Transport Police and Ministry of Defence Police. The Legally Qualified Chair is appointed to hear cases under Police Conduct Regulations. This involves reading papers in advance of any hearing, making key decisions in the build up to the hearing, such as regarding disclosure and may involve holding a pre-hearing, chairing the proceedings in accordance with the Regulations and the provision of full reasons in writing for the decision reached by the misconduct hearing.
The Police Misconduct Panel (PMP) comprises of a chair selected from a list of persons appointed by the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) to conduct misconduct hearings for officers other than senior police officers including special constables and is governed by the current and earlier Police Conduct Regulations. The Professional Standards Team within MOPAC maintain and administer the list of the Chairs and Chairs are selected on a cab rank basis and appointed to hearings held within the Metropolitan Police Service, City of London Police, British Transport Police and MOD Police.
To complement its existing Chairs, MOPAC is looking to appoint a further fifteen Chairs of misconduct panels.
Appointments will be made on a five-year term to chair hearings as and when required - the time commitment is variable. Individuals must be willing to commit to a minimum of 15 hearings per year with hearings generally lasting between four to seven days.
Nature of Cases
The PMP is likely to be convened to hear allegations of serious cases of misconduct by police officers. The maximum outcome at this hearing would be dismissal from the police service without notice. Cases would include for example, allegations of criminal acts, including sexual offences or serious breaches of the standards of behaviour expected of police officers such as honesty and integrity.
Composition of PMPs
The PMP consists of three persons selected by the MPS: the Chair, a police officer of the rank of superintendent or above, and an independent member from the list of candidates maintained by MOPAC for the purposes of these Regulations.
The Secretary of State nominates the Chair for senior officer misconduct proceedings, and the list is maintained by the Home Office.
Role of Chair
When hearing cases under the Police Conduct Regulations the chairman will be expected to have read the papers in advance, and will be required to provide full reasons in writing for the PMP’s decision before the end of 5 working days after the day of the conclusions of the proceedings. It is a very paper heavy process and so a commitment to writing reports will be essential.
PMP Chairs are required to be able to travel as cases will usually be held in the London region.
Changes to the LQC role
On 31 August 2023 the Home Office announced the outcome of its Review of Police Dismissals, looking at its effectiveness. There are multiple, significant planned changes to the police officer dismissal process. Under new proposals LQCs will no longer chair misconduct panels and will instead be legally qualified persons (LQPs), providing valuable independent advice.
In order to bring about these changes there will need to be policy reform and regulation changes. The approach and actions required in respect of adopting the reforms to the LQC role are still being developed by the Home Office.
We anticipate that the LQCs will retain their current role for a period of up to two years. It is our intention to appoint LQCs for a five year term on the understanding that they will become the LQP on panels when the changes are introduced. There is a likely change in the terms and conditions between LQCs and LQPs which will be communicated as soon as its understood.
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