Recommendation - Greater Manchester Police, February 2026

The IOPC recommends that Greater Manchester Police (GMP) should take steps to ensure that accounts given during Post Incident Procedures (PIP) are given in accordance with the College of Policing’s Authorised Professional Practice (APP) guidance and the IOPC’s ‘Statutory guidance to the police force on achieving best evidence in death and serious injury matters’. This includes personal initial accounts and stage 4 detailed accounts providing sufficient information, and being provided on a formal document, headed with the appropriate statutory declaration.  

This recommendation has arisen as a result of GMP not following APP guidance during post-incident procedures in a death or serious injury investigation. The investigation related to the death of a woman who died during a police pursuit.  

The accounts at both stage 3 and stage 4 were also not provided on documents which included the appropriate statutory declaration. Both the APP and the IOPC’s statutory guidance state that accounts should be provided on a formal document, headed with the appropriate statutory declaration, in accordance with section 9 of the Criminal Justice Act 1967, and Part 16 of the Criminal Procedure Rules 2015. The APP suggests using an MG11 or equivalent.  

It was found during the investigation that the Federation Representative actively encouraged the KPWs not to adhere to APP in respect of the MG11s and that the accounts were not checked by the Post Incident Manager before they were submitted to the IOPC. APP guidance states that both Stage 3 and Stage 4 accounts are disclosable in any subsequent legal, conduct or coronial proceedings so should therefore be recorded on a formal document. 

Two similar issues have since arisen on investigations carried out by the IOPC involving officers from GMP. This learning recommendation has now been made due to the same issue arising again.

Accepted

This is an issue that has been highlighted and has been discussed in GMP by the PIP team, PSD (Professional Standards Directorate) and GMP Police Federation. 

We have determined that we have one solicitor’s firm who on occasion advise officers not to write a formal statement.  

The Federation have presented feedback to the solicitor’s firm. 

They have, however, highlighted that the APP Guidance states `should’ not `must’ with regard to providing an account on a formal document with a statutory declaration. This could be a matter for consideration regarding a change to this wording in the APP to strengthen the expectation. 

An email was sent to the GMP PIP cohort earlier this year to try to counteract any further instances. Should further issues of a similar nature occur, they will highlight this to the PSD and Police Federation with a view to reinforcing established and best practice protocols.  

The email also highlighted the College of Policing APP guidance around stage 3 accounts. A copy was attached, and recipients were instructed to print and hand to the officers/legal reps prior to accounts being made. Moreover, following the provision of stage 3 accounts, it has been agreed that prior to the KPWs leaving, the accounts will be passed on to the PSD or IOPC and a request be made that they are read expeditiously to ensure that the initial investigators are satisfied with the level of information provided within. This is considered to be a better option than the PIM being involved in checking these. 

The Federation representative in this case contests that they actively encourage officers not to adhere to the APP stating that on the rare occasion that this occurs, it is on legal advice.