Ethics & Integrity Panel

The Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner, Chief Constable and Chief Fire Officer all wish to ensure high standards of integrity and ethical working within Cumbria Constabulary, Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service and the Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner. In order to achieve such assurances and provide openness and accountability to the public, they have established an Ethics and Integrity Panel.

The College of Policing have introduced a Code of Ethics for policing which illustrate the principles and standards of professional behaviour for the policing profession of England and Wales. The aim of the Code of Ethics is to support each individual member of the policing profession to deliver the highest professional standards in their service to the public.

The purpose of the panel is to provide a forum which challenges, encourages and supports the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner and the Chief Constable in monitoring and dealing with integrity and ethical issues within each organisation.

A national Core Code of Ethics for Fire and Rescue Services in England has been developed in partnership with the National Fire Chiefs Council, Local Government Association, and the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners to support a consistent approach to ethics, including behaviours, by fire and rescue services in England. It will help to improve the organisational culture and workforce diversity of FRSs, ensuring that communities are supported in the best way.

In order to ensure and maintain high standards of integrity and ethics there is a need for a robust, independent and transparent system of oversight of the way complaints and misconduct allegations made against police officers and staff are handled and investigated by the police. The decisions taken, actions and behaviour of police officers and staff need to ensure public trust and confidence in policing.

The Panel

The Panel currently has eight members of the public appointed to it. Role profiles have been developed for the Panel Members and the Panel Chair. The members of the panel are paid an allowance and expenses in line with the approved Allowance and Remuneration Scheme. All Panel members are required to sign up to a Code of Conduct.

Panel Meetings

The Ethics and Integrity Panel meets on a quarterly basis (February, May, August and November) and have agreed terms of reference against which they will work. In order to ensure openness and transparency the agenda and reports, not subject to restrictions, will be published following the panel meetings. The Panel provide a quarterly report to the Commissioner’s Public Accountability Conferences meetings to provide assurance on the work they have carried out and scrutinised. At each meeting the Panel receive a report on public complaints and on a 6 monthly basis they undertake dip sample of finalised public complaints, misconduct and grievances in accordance with the case sample protocol.

The Panel produces an Annual Report which provides details of the work they have carried out during the year.

To view the papers from the panel meetings please click on the dates below: