Independent Police Complaints Commission
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Statement regarding disciplinary hearing for officers involved in investigation following the death of Olaseni Lewis

The gross misconduct proceedings related to the death of Olaseni Lewis are organised and managed by the Metropolitan Police, not the IPCC, as is standard practice.

As Mr Lewis’ death happened before new regulations requiring the vast majority of gross misconduct proceedings to be held in public, the legal presumption is that this hearing should be held in private unless the case is of sufficient gravity or there are other exceptional circumstances, that it would be in the public interest to direct that the whole or part of the misconduct hearing be held in public.

The current regulations introduced by the Home Office in 2015 requiring police disciplinary hearings now be heard in public unless in exceptional circumstances was a move the IPCC pressed for.

Regarding the commentary that the hearing is being held in secret, due to the gravity of the case and exceptional circumstances, Commissioner Cindy Butts concluded that it would be in the public interest to hold part of the hearing in public. This is specifically the announcement of the panel’s decision and the rationale for the panel’s findings.

The Commissioner’s decision was in consultation with all parties in this case, including Mr Lewis’s family.

It is worth noting that the evidence being heard at the misconduct hearing, including accounts from the officers in question, has been aired in public during an extensive inquest held earlier this year.

Following the conclusion of the hearing further consultation will be undertaken regarding the publication of the IPCC final report.

 

Channel website: https://policeconduct.gov.uk/

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