Ministers to blame over bureaucracy

Jan Berry, who was hired by the last Labour government in July 2008, said forces were reliant on national policy that was encouraging “unnecessary bureaucracy”, in part because of a “risk aversion” mentality.

The situation was little different now compared with 10 years ago and there has been little or no progress, she told MPs.

Giving evidence to the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee yesterday, Ms Berry, a former Police Federation chairwoman, said: “My advice to Government has been, and would still be, ‘You have got to address the causes of unnecessary bureaucracy – and that’s in the structures we have, it’s in the systems we have, and it’s in the processes that happen.

“I don’t think our current policing structure is fit for purpose.

“And all the time we’re carrying on with this structure then these problems are going to flourish.”

The situation was “no different” now to 10 years ago, she said.

Ms Berry, whose contract was axed by the coalition Government, went on: “The performance framework encouraged people to arrest people too soon, encouraged people to pay more attention to the recording than to the investigation and the outcome.”