26/08/2005

Police officer's complaint rejected by IPCC

The Independent Police Complaints Commission has rejected a complaint by a Metropolitan Police officer in relation to comments made over the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes.

The officer had lodged a complaint about comments made in a statement by the Deputy Chairman of the IPCC, John Wadham, in which he described the overcoming of resistance to an IPCC inquiry into the shooting as a "victory" for the independence of the Commission.

In the August 18 statement, Mr Wadham said: "The Metropolitan Police Service initially resisted us taking on the investigation but we overcame that. It was an important victory for our independence. This dispute has caused delay in us taking over the investigation but we have worked hard to recover the lost ground.

"This inquiry is making very good progress. We are determined that this investigation - like our other five firearms inquiries - will be completed quickly. We are working to get it concluded in between three and six months. The inquiry that we are conducting will be thorough, impartial and we will not be rushing to conclusions."

It emerged that the following day a complaint had been lodged by a Metropolitan Police officer in relation to the statement.

However, IPCC Chairman Nick Hardwick, ruled that the comments did not undermine the ongoing investigation by the IPCC.

The body with overall responsibility for the police complaints system in England and Wales, the IPCC is investigating the shooting dead of Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes by police who had mistakenly identified him as a potential suicide bomber.

(SP/KMcA)

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