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HOME DEPARTMENT
Christopher Alder
The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Charles Clarke): In April 2004 my predecessor required the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), under section 79(1) of the Police Act 1996, to undertake a review of the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr. Christopher Alder. This was in response to continuing concerns from Mr. Alder's family. Hon. Members will recall his tragic death in police custody at Queen's Gardens police station in Hull during the early hours of 1 April 1998 with his last moments of life captured on CCTV.
I am today laying the report of the IPCC review before Parliament as I am required to do under section 79(5) of the Act. I would like to thank Nick Hardwick, Chair of the IPCC, and his team for his thorough review, and for his findings and recommendations. The IPCC sought the assistance of the Health Care Commission in assessing the standards of medical care which Mr. Alder received and a summary of the HCC conclusions is provided at annex 8 to the IPCC report. I understand that separate arrangements are being made to publish their report today.
There are criticisms of individual officers for their handling of Mr. Alder when they arrived at the scene of his assault, at the hospital to which he was taken and at the police station. They are criticised for some of the accounts of their actions which the IPCC, having reviewed the evidence, does not accept. They are criticised as public servants for not cooperating with the review, although I acknowledge that this was their right.
The IPCC find that unwitting racism was a factor in Mr. Alder's treatment measured against the standards subsequently established by the Macpherson report and the guidance issued by the former Police Complaints Authority (PCA). They acknowledge that Humberside police have made progress on racial awareness since. I return to this.
The former Deputy Chief Constable of Humberside police is criticised for his decision that there should be no legal representation available to the parties at the disciplinary tribunal which was set up to hear the charges against the five police officers, which had the effect of reducing the disciplinary sanctions available to the tribunal. In the absence of legal support the current Chief Constable of Cleveland, who approached his responsibilities properly, mistakenly accepted a submission that there was no case to answer.
The West Yorkshire investigation into Mr. Alder's death, which was supervised by the PCA, is criticised as being inadequately resourced and directed.
Additionally, there is criticism of Humberside police for not having apologised to the family of Christopher Alder for his treatment.
The IPCC find that support for the family was mishandled. There is criticism of the police and, to a degree, of the PCA for the level of support provided to the family (though it is acknowledged that things would be better handled these days). Lancashire Constabulary, one of whose officers passed on incorrect information to Mr. Alder's sister, gets passing criticism.
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On the other hand, the review found no reason to believe that the police assaulted Mr. Alder, used CS spray against him or that his sister was subsequently harassed by Humberside police. It finds no evidence that Humberside deliberately mishandled their investigation, nor reason to criticise the handling of the failed prosecution of the police officers. It dismisses the suggestion of police cover up of evidence of racist banter. Any failings in the West Yorkshire investigation were not deliberate or malicious.
The IPCC is satisfied on the basis of its review that there is no need for a further inquiry.
The IPCC makes a number of recommendations. At this stage I wish to focus on three areas:
I found particularly disturbing the conclusion Mr. Hardwick reaches regarding the officers' "unwitting racism" in their treatment of Mr. Alder. However, I am confident that since Sir William Macpherson's inquiry into the tragic death of Stephen Lawrence in 1999, all police forces have taken steps to eradicate racism within the police service. However, we must not lose sight of the continuing need to ensure that those in the public service who serve their communities do so to the highest professional standards
The Home Office, the Association of Chief Police Officers, the Association of Police Authorities and Centrex published "A Strategy for Improving Performance in Race and Diversity 2004–09" in November 2004. Also in November 2004 the Association of Police Authorities issued guidance on Involving Communities in Police Learning and Development.
The strategy is the product of extensive consultation and sets out a five year strategy for the Police Race and Diversity Learning and Development Programme. The strategy builds upon recommendations made in Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary's (HMIC's) report "Diversity Matters" and responds to two independent reports commissioned to quality assure, and examine the effectiveness of, community and race relations (CRR) training. The strategy is fundamentally different from the previous approach to CRR training. Race necessarily remains the primary focus but the strategy expands the area of work to include other aspects of diversity: gender, sexual orientation, disability, age and religion and belief. It extends to
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police staff and to the wider police family, including special constables and police community support officers (PCSOs).
The strategy is not just restricted to training and is linked to other police learning and development programmes, including the initial Police Learning and Development Programme, the Core Leadership Development Programme and the Senior Leadership Development Programme.
Much hard work has been put into improving the care and custody of people in police detention since this tragedy, and eight years on a number of important changes have been made
The safer detention guidance, published on 8 February 2006, requires that before accepting a detainee to return to custody, the escorting officers should request that the doctor immediately in charge of the detainee or the A&E manager provide clear written advice to inform the detainee's care plan. The custody officer must consider any requirement for a healthcare professional to see them in person on return from hospital. The healthcare professional must be called for certain aspects of illness which are set out in the guidance. The police healthcare project, a joint project being developed by the Home Office and the Prison Service, will look to develop national agreements for local implementation.
Improved police disciplinary arrangements are being considered in the context of work being taken forward in response to the Taylor report; a code of professional standards and an improved discipline procedure are being formulated. A proposed draft code and guidance have already been drawn up and are currently open to public consultation. It is our commitment to provide the Police Advisory Board for England and Wales with draft policy proposals in July.
I am confident in the ability of the police service and of the Chief Constable of Humberside police to respond positively to the IPCC findings.
There have been calls for a public inquiry into Mr. Alder's death which have been resisted. There has been an investigation, an inquest, criminal trial, internal disciplinary hearings and now this independent review. I agree with Mr. Hardwick when he says that a further investigation would not add anything of substance. This review contains a detailed account of all of the circumstances surrounding the death of Christopher Alder. I hope that the findings go some way to answering their questions and concerns and can bring them some closure to this tragic case. Our thoughts are with them today.