Independent Police Ethics Committee

To help build public trust and confidence in policing, Greater Manchester’s Independent Ethics Committee provides expert advice to both the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime and Greater Manchester Police (GMP) on the complex ethical challenges facing modern policing.

Established in 2014 as the first of its kind in the UK, the committee operates with a broad remit. GMP has committed to full transparency, granting the committee access to its organisational practices and personnel.

The committee sets its own agenda, while also considering issues referred by GMP, and the Deputy Mayor. Members of the public are strongly encouraged to raise concerns with the committee, although it does not investigate individual complaints.

The committee addresses both strategic and operational matters. Recent topics have included use of Live Facial Recognition Technology, the Right Care, Right Person initiative and the use of Dispersal Orders.

Professional ethics go beyond integrity; they encompass accountability for decisions, actions, and omissions. Ethical policing is not only about doing the right thing, but doing it for the right reasons.

By establishing and supporting the Ethics Committee, Deputy Mayor Kate Green and Chief Constable Stephen Watson have made a clear and public commitment to transparent, ethical policing in Greater Manchester, subject to rigorous, independent scrutiny and advice.

Read our Independent Police Ethics Committee Annual Report in full (PDF, 4.1MB)

Currently, this document is not fully accessible, however, we are working on making an accessible version available as soon as possible.

Join the Ethics Committee

Join Greater Manchester’s Independent Police Ethics Committee

The Ethics Committee's work

Learn about the work the committee has conducted to date.

The Ethics Committee's members

Meet the members of the committee.

Responsibilities of the Ethics Committee

The Ethics Committee plays a vital role in supporting Greater Manchester Police’s strategy to build public trust and confidence. Its contributions are focused on promoting ethical policing and strengthening legitimacy across the region. Key responsibilities include:

Enhancing Legitimacy: Supporting efforts to increase the legitimacy of GMP within communities across Greater Manchester
Influencing Policy: Providing ethical insight to inform and shape changes in force policy and practice
Contributing to Strategic Debate: Engaging in critical discussions around policing policies and practices to ensure they reflect ethical standards
Anticipating Future Challenges: Proactively identifying and analysing emerging ethical issues that may affect policing, and advising on appropriate responses
Promoting Ethical Decision-Making: Advocating for the use of the National Decision Model to improve understanding of discretion and ethical decision-making throughout the organisation
Championing Professional Ethics: Promoting the role and importance of professional ethics in all aspects of policing
Sharing Best Practice: Highlighting local ethical issues and examples of best practice that may be of national relevance, and sharing these with other police forces

This content cannot be displayed due to your current cookie settings. To view the content - most likely a video - please change your cookie settings

Contact the Independent Ethics Committee

The Independent Ethics Committee can be contacted via email at Ethics.Committee@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk