Professional Standards and Confidential Reporting Procedure

Details

This procedure is part of North Yorkshire Police policy to which all Chief Constable personnel and the functions provided by the Police and Crime Commissioner are required to adhere.

Procedure Statement

The aim of this procedure is to create a climate where all staff have confidence in the mechanisms available to them and feel a genuine openness and transparency when reporting breaches of professional standards. Their motivation should arise from a desire to maintain the integrity of the service and with the knowledge that such action will be universally acknowledged as right.

The purpose of this procedure is to set out the ways in which individuals within the organisation can make suspected professional standards reports in a supportive and confidential environment. This includes reporting criminal activity, breaches of the Standards of Professional Behaviour, malpractice and dishonesty and any activity which has an adverse impact on race and diversity.

The Nine Policing Principles are set out in the Code of Ethics for the Police Service and must be adhered to.

It is the aim of North Yorkshire Police (NYP) that all staff should:

• have a clear responsibility to report suspected corruption, dishonest or unethical behaviour by others
• feel that they can report corruption, dishonesty and malpractice openly and with the support of their colleagues and managers

Be aware when making professional standards reports, that they may be required to give evidence and support a criminal prosecution and/or misconduct proceedings where appropriate.

This procedure is designed to implement a clear professional standards reporting mechanism that provides:

• clear and effective mechanisms for professional standards reporting.
• comprehensive arrangements for supporting staff who, in good faith make such a report.
• acknowledgement of the potential impact on an individual, the force and/or the service as a whole.
• support to the NYP Corruption Prevention Strategy.