Legally Qualified Chairs
What are Legally Qualified Persons
Legally Qualified Persons (LQPs) lead police misconduct hearings. They are independent individuals who meet the judicial appointment eligibility conditions and are appointed every five years.
LQPs were introduced under changes to the Police (Conduct) Regulations made in 2015, to replace senior police officers as the chairs of misconduct panels to make the process more transparent, independent and fairer. Under these regulations Commissioners appoint and hold a list of LQPs, but Police Professional Standard Departments still appointed them to hearings. The Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020 made further changes so that Commissioners now also appoint them to hearings to further increase the independence.
LQPs in North Yorkshire
In North Yorkshire, the Deputy Mayor for Policing Fire & Crime works collaboratively with fellow Commissioners & Deputy Mayors across the North-East region to hold a list of LQPs. This means that a list is appointed and used by all the Deputy Mayors & Commissioners across the North-East region. The list is held by Northumbria PCC on behalf of the region.
In North Yorkshire, the recommended national rate of pay for an LQP is currently set at £511.56 per day for a full day (4+ hours, excluding meals breaks) and £255.78 per half day (under 4 hours).
A fee may be claimed at the rate of £85 for each hour necessarily spent in preparatory work or report writing. On occasion this may include additional preparation time where further evidence/documents/written submissions are provided to the Panel after the hearing has commenced; and time spent prior to the conclusion of hearings writing up decisions in order to ensure that hearings are not adjourned part-heard.
The nationally recommended rate of pay for an IPM (Independent Panel Member) is set at £357 per day for a full day (4+ hours, excluding meals breaks) and £178.50 per half day (under 4 hours).
A fee may be claimed at the rate of £25.00 for each hour necessarily spent in preparatory work for up to four hours work. Further approval must be obtained from the Chief Executive of the LPB where this may require longer consideration.
LQPs and IPMs are appointed to hearings using a ‘cab rank’ system, whereby the list is compiled randomly and then LQCs are offered hearings from across the region in turn.