Independent Office for Police Conduct

Summary

Successor to the IPCC since January 2018, the IOPC is established under Schedule 2 to the Police Reform Act 2002 (as amended by the Policing and Crime Act 2017). The Director General is appointed by the Secretary of State for a term not exceeding five years and may be removed for cause. All non-executive board members must be non-police civilians; no current or former constables may serve as non-executive members. The IOPC can conduct fully independent investigations into the most serious cases of police misconduct and officer-involved deaths, with statutory powers to compel information from chief officers and access relevant evidence including body-worn camera footage and personnel records. Discipline recommendations are advisory: the IOPC refers findings to misconduct panels or chief constables who make final decisions, though it may appeal outcomes to a police appeals tribunal.