Thousands trained as part of National Disclosure Improvement Plan

The ‘disclosure and relevancy – conducting fair investigations’ training, which can either be completed online or as a face-to-face training, was made available to all forces in England and Wales earlier this year.

The College of Policing has recommended the training is completed by all police officers and staff involved in any aspect of investigation.

The numbers, which cover mid-April to the end of November 2018, show more than a third of all police officers and staff in forces across England and Wales have now completed the updated training package.

The updated training was introduced as part of the National Disclosure Improvement Plan (NDIP) to significantly change the way disclosure is managed across the criminal justice service.

David Tucker, College of Policing crime and criminal justice lead, said:

“Disclosure is a fundamental part of a fair criminal justice system. These figures demonstrate the police service is committed to getting it right.

“We have taken extensive action to bring about necessary changes in the wider culture within investigations and prosecutions, and how cases are handled.

“Our updated training makes it clear that from the start of an investigation disclosure needs to be an integral part of the mind-set of all officers and staff.

“This is the first part of a long-term plan to bring lasting improvements to how disclosure is managed in the criminal justice system.

“We have made good progress over the last year but we are not complacent and will continue to support the changes to the wider culture within investigations and prosecutions.”

The NDIP was developed by the College of Policing, National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to address criticisms identified in a joint Inspectorate report into disclosure.