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Police to be told not to confer before writing up notes Police to be told not to confer before writing up notes
(about 1 hour later)
Police officers in England and Wales are to be instructed not to confer before writing up their notes of serious incidents they are involved in.Police officers in England and Wales are to be instructed not to confer before writing up their notes of serious incidents they are involved in.
The BBC understands guidance will be issued to forces once it has been approved by the home secretary. Guidance will be issued to forces once it has been approved by the home secretary.
At present, officers can pool their recollections before making individual statements.At present, officers can pool their recollections before making individual statements.
The draft guidance, seen by BBC News, says conferring "has the potential to undermine public confidence". The draft guidance says conferring "has the potential to undermine public confidence".
In January, the BBC learned that the Independent Police Complaints Commission was preparing the new guidance which will apply to incidents in which someone dies or is seriously injured.In January, the BBC learned that the Independent Police Complaints Commission was preparing the new guidance which will apply to incidents in which someone dies or is seriously injured.
It will tell forces that police witnesses should be instructed not to speak, or otherwise communicate, about the incident in question.It will tell forces that police witnesses should be instructed not to speak, or otherwise communicate, about the incident in question.
They should be kept separate until after their detailed individual factual accounts have been taken, it will say.They should be kept separate until after their detailed individual factual accounts have been taken, it will say.
The BBC's home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said that the new rules would represent a significant departure from current practice.The BBC's home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said that the new rules would represent a significant departure from current practice.