An Effective System for Investigating Complaints Against Police A study of human rights compliance in police complaint models in the US, Canada, UK, Northern Ireland and Australia August 2009 By Tamar Hopkins Victorian Law Foundation Community Legal Centre Fellow 2008-2009 Monash University Honorary Fellow Principal Solicitor Flemington & Kensington Community Legal Centre 1 Contents Executive Summary .......................................................................................................... 7 RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................................................................. 8 Chapter 1 ......................................................................................................................... 14 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 14 The human rights standards ...................................................................................... 18 An example .................................................................................................................. 19 The purpose of investigation ...................................................................................... 19 Chapter 2 ......................................................................................................................... 22 The Human Rights Framework – The Duty to Investigate......................................... 22 2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 22 2.2 The Content of the Duty to Investigate ................................................................... 23 2.2.1 Threshold Issue ................................................................................................ 25 2.3 The Committee Against Torture ............................................................................. 29 2.4 The Human Rights Committee ............................................................................... 29 2.5 The UN Force and Firearms Principles .................................................................. 31 2.6 UN Principles on Extra-Legal Executions ......................................................... 31 2.7 Application to Victoria ........................................................................................... 33 Chapter 3 ......................................................................................................................... 34 Independence ................................................................................................................... 34 3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 34 3.2 Police investigating police ...................................................................................... 35 1. Institutional, organisational and hierarchical independence ................................. 37 2. Practical/functional/cultural independence, (willingness to act) .......................... 41 3. Legal and Political Independence ......................................................................... 47 Recommendations arising from this Chapter .......................................................... 49 Chapter 4 ......................................................................................................................... 51 Adequacy of Investigation .............................................................................................. 51 4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 51 4.2 Capacity to lead to criminal or disciplinary outcomes.......................................... 51 4.3 The importance of time ........................................................................................... 54 4.4 Thoroughness .......................................................................................................... 55 4.5 Provision of cameras in Police Stations ................................................................. 57 4.6 Independence from prosecutions of complainants ................................................. 58 4.7 The need for uncontaminated police statements .................................................... 59 4.8 Questioning techniques ........................................................................................... 61 4.9 Standards of Proof................................................................................................... 61 4.10 Unlawful use of force............................................................................................ 64 4.11 Role of Mediation/Settlement ............................................................................... 66 4.12 Appeals ................................................................................................................ 68 4.13 Body that makes the decision about the complaint ............................................... 70 4.14 Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 70 4.14 Recommendations arising from this Chapter ........................................................ 70 Chapter 5 ......................................................................................................................... 73 Public Scrutiny ................................................................................................................ 73 Introduction 5.1 ............................................................................................................. 73 2 5.2 Public Scrutiny of Complaint Data ......................................................................... 74 5.3 Transparency in individual decision-making .......................................................... 78 5.4 Public investigations ............................................................................................... 79 5.5 Public Disciplinary hearings ................................................................................... 79 5.6 Recommendations arising from this Chapter .......................................................... 79 Chapter 6 ......................................................................................................................... 81 Effective participation of the victim .............................................................................. 81 6.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 81 6.2 Inhibitions on filing complaints ............................................................................. 81 6.3 Legal practitioner views on complaint systems ...................................................... 84 6.3.1 What do complainant advocates specify is the problem? ................................ 85 6.3.2 Provision of Statement by Complainants ......................................................... 87 6.3.3 The need to outreach to complainants ............................................................. 88 6.4 Protection of Complainants..................................................................................... 88 6.5 Provision of information to the complainant .......................................................... 90 6.6 Release of complaint history of police officer ........................................................ 93 6.7 Involvement of the Victim in the investigative process.......................................... 94 6.7.1 Participation in the Investigation ..................................................................... 95 6.7.2 Legal Aid ......................................................................................................... 96 6.7.3 Cross-examination of evidence ........................................................................ 96 6.8 Proceeding with complaints that have been withdrawn ......................................... 98 6.9 Recommendations arising from this Chapter ......................................................... 98 Chapter 7 ....................................................................................................................... 101 Complaints Against Police in Victoria ........................................................................ 101 PART A – Corruption and human rights ............................................................... 101 7.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................... 101 7.2 The Current Complaint Scheme........................................................................ 104 7.3 Critique of OPI position .................................................................................... 107 7.3.1 Number of staff dedicated to complaints ...................................................... 107 7.3.2 Failure to investigate complaints ................................................................... 107 7.3.3 Audits and classification of complaints ........................................................ 107 7.3.4. Use public telephone polling to gauge success ............................................. 108 7.3.5. Failure on an individual level ....................................................................... 109 7.3.6. The public interest test .................................................................................