The Policing Principles of the Metropolitan Police
| Author | George Kurian |
| Pages | 1104-1128 |
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SOURCE From The Principles of Policing and Guidance for Professional Behaviour. New Scotland Yard, London: Public Information Department, Metropolitan Police, 1985.
INTRODUCTION The Principles represent the first major attempt of the London Metropolitan Police to restate the "Primary Objects of Police" that were enunciated on its formation in 1829. Sponsored by the incumbent Commissioner, Sir Kenneth Newman, they represent the most significant articulation of police standards that has thus far been attempted, combining maxims and commentary in a sustained and coherent statement. Handsomely produced, but poorly marketed, The Blue Book, as it was popularly called, failed to win internal acceptance, and by 1990, it had been superseded by what came to be the nationally sponsored Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) "Statement of Values and Common Purpose."
The primary aims and duties of the Metropolitan Police are to uphold the Rule of Law, to protect and assist the citizen and to work for the prevention and detection of crime and the maintenance of a peaceful society, free of the fear of crime and disorder. They will carry out these aims and duties in consultation and cooperation with others in the community.
This rationale explains and expands the main phrases in the statement of police objectives, that is to say: "upholding the rule of law" "protecting and assisting the citizen" "cooperation with others" "maintenance of a peaceful community" and "fear of crime and disorder."
The aim of "upholding the Rule of Law" encompasses two distinct but inter-related duties: the duty of upholding the law of the land (as enacted by Parliament or as established by common law) and maintaining The Queen's Peace; the related duty of keeping strictly within prescribed powers, abstaining from arbitrary action and respecting the individual rights and freedoms of all citizens.
In discharging the duty of maintaining a state of public tranquility. Where a conflict arises between the duty of the police to maintain order and their duty to enforce the law, the solution will be found in the priority which is to be given in the last resort to the maintenance of public order, and in the constant and commonsense exercise of police discretion. Priority will also be given to dealing with those crimes which most harm or cause anxiety to the public.
In upholding the law, the main emphasis of policing will be upon prevention. This principle has obtained since the establishment of the Force in 1829 when the primary objects were formalized as follows:
It should be understood at the outset that the principal object to be attained is the prevention of crime. To this great end every effort of the police is to be directed. The security of person and property, the preservation of the public tranquility and all other objects of a police establishment will thus be better effected than by detention and punishment of the offender after he has succeeded in committing the crime.
This statement remains a valid description of the police function and one which will continue to guide
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the Metropolitan Police. But in the light of rapid social and cultural changes in recent years, there is a need to expand the statement and to develop the interpretation of the "prevention of crime" and the "preservation of public tranquility." The revised scope of these concepts should take account of developments within the community in broad-based consultation and participation in the control of crime.
"Prevention" is the chief concern of the Metropolitan Police and one which will govern decisions on how manpower and equipment is allocated. Skill in the "detection" of offenses is also important in deterring offenders and in protecting life and property. It will be the aim of the Metropolitan Police to enhance their effectiveness in detection by improving the collation of intelligence and analysis of crime, as well as the preparation and presentation of cases.
In carrying out their duties, police will be governed by the following principles, which are central to the Rule of Law:
That a respect for citizens's individual rights and freedoms and the avoidance of arbitrary or unlawful action are fundamental to the constitutional meaning of the Rule of Law and thus to the whole meaning and purpose of police duty;
That The Queen's Peace will be endangered if citizens perceive police action to be inconsistent with the fundamental values of British society. These values emphasize a just balance between order and freedom and mark an abhorrence of unfair or arbitrary action by the State or its officials;
That the fundamental values of British society are underpinned by procedure and legal rules and assumptions. Of particular importance in the context of police duty are: the presumption of innocence; the right to free speech; the right to free association; restrictions on powers of arrest and detention; the right to silence; the right of access to legal advice; the prohibition of discriminatory behavior towards individuals, classes of person and minority groups; the observance of suspects's rights; the requirement of reasonableness when acting upon suspicion; integrity in the collection and presentation of evidence; respect for human dignity; the need to use only such force as is necessary to accomplish a legitimate purpose; and the thought that in safeguarding these principles, the constitutional facet of the Rule of Law is an unifying theme in the regulation of police conduct; if upholding the Rule of Law is a primary aim of police, then observance of the principles must follow;
That the British ideal is that policing should be shaped by the consent of the population. Such consent is conditional upon the observance by police of the individual's rights and liberties. Only in this way will the respect of the public be retained and the duties and functions of police be capable of being effectively discharged;
The effectiveness of the police will be undermined if their actions are perceived to be inconsistent with the Rule of Law;
That respect for the law is intimately connected with the public's perception of police standards and behavior. It is, therefore, essential that in both word and deed, police officers reflect the fundamental values of British democracy, demonstrating total impartiality to all, regardless of race, color, creed or social position.
The police have a duty to: protect persons and property; befriend anyone who needs their help; assist with major or minor emergencies; control road traffic and advise local authorities on related matters; assure the safety of the Royal Family and maintain security at a wide variety of public events; and undertake a variety of regulatory and supervisory duties, on behalf of Government departments and others.
There is now abundant evidence that police action alone is insufficient to reduce crime. The aim of gaining the cooperation of others, therefore, goes beyond earning respect and approval for policing and extends to involving the active assistance of the public in preventing crime and helping to preserve the peace.
It is a principle of British law that the police are only members of the public who are paid to give full attention to duties, many of which are incumbent on every citizen in the interests of community welfare and orderly existence. It is, therefore, the duty of every citizen to cooperate with the police in the prevention of crime. In modern circumstances, however, there is a need for an organized framework for promoting positive cooperation between the police and the public for reducing crime, and the continuing aim of the Metropolitan Police must be to work with others to develop collaborative strategies against crime and disorder. This aim includes invoking the assistance of statutory and voluntary agencies and local authorities. Many of the apparently isolated incidents to which police are called are symptoms of more general substantive problems with roots in a wide range of social and environmental conditions. The aim of the Metropolitan Police will, therefore, be to work with
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other agencies to develop what is known as a "situational" or "problem-solving" approach to crime prevention, where, rather than merely dealing with individual acts of law-breaking, careful analysis is made of the total circumstances surrounding the commission of types of crime, taking account of wide-ranging social and environmental factors, in...
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