Angiolini Inquiry 1 Year On
The Angiolini Inquiry was established to investigate how Wayne Couzens, an off-duty Metropolitan police officer, was able to abduct, rape and murder Sarah Everard, who was an innocent member of the public. The findings and recommendations of this investigation were presented in part 1 in February 2024.
Policing accepted all 16 recommendations made, and a lot of work has been ongoing over the past year to develop and take forward these recommendations, building the necessary steps to embed them in processes and culture.
Recommendation 14 focussed on ‘Positive culture and elimination of misconduct or criminality often excused as ‘banter’’. The Inquiry stated that every police force should commit publicly to being an anti-sexist, anti-misogynistic, anti-racist organisation. It was agreed by all police chiefs in England, Scotland and Wales that we commit to a police service that is anti-discriminatory, placing inclusion at the heart of culture.
Lancashire’s Chief Constable, Sacha Hatchett, said: “Here within Lancashire, we have a clear and continuing commitment to eradicate all forms of discrimination from the policing profession. This includes sexism, racism and misogyny. Lancashire adopts a zero-tolerance approach to all forms of discrimination, and through strong leadership and education, we will continue to reinforce positive behaviours and cultures. I expect the highest standards of professional behaviour and accountability from my officers and staff for the unique powers entrusted within them and the standards of professional behaviour they swear to uphold.”
The National Police Chiefs’ Councill’s Chair, Chief Constable Gavin Stephens, said: “I stand with my colleagues across policing to say we are fully committed to a police service that is anti-discriminatory, and we continue working hard to eradicate sexism, racism and misogyny.
“Actions speak louder than words, and while a statement can be incredibly powerful, we know that what is more important is how we embed an anti-discriminatory culture. We are driving out behaviour that does not meet the high standards of integrity the public and colleagues deserve and creating an environment where everyone is supported and empowered.
“This commitment to being anti-discriminatory represents a line in the sand while building on the valuable work ongoing across policing to address poor culture and ensure our workforce meets the high standards our communities expect and deserve.
“Angiolini Inquiry part 1 was an urgent call for action, and I know I speak for everyone in policing when I say we heard that call and are fully committed to bringing lasting, impactful change for future generations.”
So, what does this mean in Lancashire?
The Angiolini Inquiry’s findings have broad implications for all police forces across the UK, including Lancashire Constabulary, particularly regarding police recruitment, vetting, officer conduct and supervisory processes. Whilst Lancashire Constabulary may not have been directly implicated in the murder of Sarah Everard, the findings and recommendations are applicable across all forces.
Over the last few years, we have changed our operating model to make us more responsive to calls for service from our communities. We have invested significantly in our front-line investigative workforce to improve the service which we provide and achieve better outcomes for our victims. We place a strong emphasis on prevention, as we see real value in stopping crime before it happens. Ony when prevention is not possible do we shift our focus to solving crime. We have recruited 612 officers through the Police Officer Uplift Programme and to replace retirements, surpassing government uplift targets. All have clarity of expectations around standards of behaviour, the responsibility and accountability that goes with being in a position of trust. We have invested in our Professional Standards Department and where we see people fall below the high standards we expect, we take a robust approach to remove them from the organisation.
Significant progress has been made against the recommendations set out in February 2024 by Lancashire Constabulary.
We have strong processes and governance in place to support victims of all sexual offences, including non-contact sexual offences such as indecent exposure. We have officers with the correct skill set and knowledge to identify, record and investigate what are often referred to as hidden crimes, due to a national lack of reporting. Supervisors are trained to ensure that all reasonable lines of enquiry are completed in a timely fashion, to prevent missed investigative opportunities which were sadly seen in the Sarah Everard case.
Our Professional Standards Department are fully compliant with the revised national vetting standards (Vetting Authorised Professional Practice), which supports the Vetting Code of Practice. These changes incorporate numerous recommendations aimed at enhancing our vetting procedures. We have strengthened the process and redefined vetting as a continuous practice throughout the careers of our officers and staff, rather than a one-time event. We are confident that we deliver an efficient and effective vetting process, enabling us to identify threat and risk. Historic Data Wash, randomised and mandatory re-vetting of our staff enable us to make strong vetting decisions which support the integrity and reputation of policing.
To develop our vetting processes even further, Lancashire is piloting a Continuous Integrity Screening Tool which is currently in development and aimed for national delivery in 2025/26. The purpose of this tool is to ensure that police officers, staff and volunteers are regularly and automatically checked through the Police National Database, highlighting any issues or changes so they can be addressed as required.
Our Chief Police Officers have taken back responsibility to chairing misconduct hearings to better uphold standards within Lancashire, and remove those who do not belong in the organisation. All reports of police perpetrators are investigated within our Professional Standards Department for transparency and fairness.
In Lancashire we have commissioned a Cultural Audit, being led externally by Professor Les Graham, which is now underway. The force welcomes all findings and is committed to taking any positive action required as part of our continuous journey of improvement. The learning from the audit will inform our Cultural and Inclusion Strategy due to be published later in 2025. We strive to achieve an inclusive culture, where all people have a voice and a greater sense of psychological safety.
The College of Policing and NPCC strategy
The College of Policing and the NPCC have developed a five-year culture and inclusion strategy for policing.
The strategy sets the vision for policing to have a representative workforce that is a trusted profession, demonstrating the highest levels of integrity, fairness and respect towards each other and the public we serve.
The strategy is available for police forces to implement from Tuesday 1 April 2025. It establishes new standards focusing on two interconnected priorities: evolving police organisations and improved working with the public. As part of the strategy, there will be practical guidance and tools available to support forces to create lasting cultural change.
The strategy will be owned by a chief officer in each force who will maintain sign-off and oversight of force performance on an annual basis.
The NPCC and College of Policing will work with His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) to enable effective scrutiny of progress against this strategy and the culture and inclusion standard for policing.
>>>> To report corruption or serious abuse within policing, please contact the Police Anti-Corruption and Abuse Reporting Service, run by the independent charity Crimestoppers. The service gives the public an anonymous route to report information about a police officer, member of staff or volunteer who they believe are corrupt or committing serious abuse. Contact the service by calling 0800 085 0000 or via the Crimestoppers' website. For more information about the service, visit the ‘Police Anti-Corruption and Abuse Reporting Service’ section on the Government’s website.