Examination of Witness (Questions 140
- 146)
THURSDAY 7 FEBRUARY 2002
MR KEVIN
MORRIS
140. If the management comes from within the
same stock they are inevitably going to turn a blind eye.
(Mr Morris) Of course that is the problem. Then you
need to ask "How are they being judged". Sometimes the
phrase "noble cause corruption" comes up, they believe
they are doing it for the right reasons, sadly that has happened
in the past. What we can do, I think we can go somewhere between
the two. I do not believe tenure was right, I think that was wasteful.
141. Tenure still applies, does it?
(Mr Morris) Some people still think it does. Lots
of my senior colleagues in ACPO are saying that it is dead now.
142. When did it die?
(Mr Morris) I think it faded away rather than just
died.
143. Explain to me how it works? When you are
there, you are there for life, is that it?
(Mr Morris) No, I think what we are coming to now
is that officers will be judged on their performance better than
they were in the past. If a job would have been up for tenure
after, say, two or three years, it could have been open to competition
again so that the person who was in post could apply for their
own job back. If they can satisfy a board that they are still
the best person for that job then they will retain it. Now that
may be difficult for some to move in to but this notion that there
is no movement because of that I think is wrong. The movement
within CID, certainly in the places I have got experience of,
was phenomenal, I wish I could have slowed it down somewhat. To
be fair, some of my most experienced and absolutely dedicated
officers were the ones with the longest time in the department.
I never found that particular thing a problem. I did not manage
a specialist squad, say a vice squad, where there may be a real
need to keep the people moving.
144. Are there any other points you want to
add, Mr Morris, that you have not had the opportunity to make?
(Mr Morris) As Sir David said if I have, I cannot
think of them at the moment.
145. When you have had your trip to America
if there are any further points which occur to you please let
us know. We are particularly in the market for either changes
you would like to see to this Bill or else omissions, things you
think should be in it which are not.
(Mr Morris) There is one point, I confess it is stolen
from a Member of the House because he put it to me "Would
it be a good idea if" and I think it needs to be explored,
although I am conscious with my Federation colleagues behind me
that they are not happy with it. It is that the powers we are
giving to some of these community wardens, perhaps we need to
rethink the use of specials and how those powers can be given
to people. Now I have not had time to explore the ins and outs
of that but certainly I think it is worth exploring if for no
other reason than it is an opportunity to see if we can improve
on this 30 minute detention set up.
146. You would want to align the powers of specials
and the powers of Community Support Officers?
(Mr Morris) It is certainly possible. Everything is
doable, it is at what cost.
Chairman: Okay. Thank you very much. The session
is closed.
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