John Wadham to investigate the police

John Wadham will be a deputy chairman of the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

In his role as director of the human rights campaign group Liberty since 1995, Mr Wadham has criticised police failures.

But following the appointment, he has insisted there would be no conflict of interest in his new job.

"If police officers want to do their job fairly, respecting human rights, then I'm going to be on their side," he said.

"If people are breaking the rules, most police officers believe that they should be dealt with. So I don't think there will be a conflict.

"Liberty and I have had a very good relationship with the police over the past 10 years or so, and I have been invited to speak at the Police Federation and Police Superintendent's Association conferences."

The establishment of the IPCC is an important part of the Government's reforms of the police service David Blunkett Home Secretary

As a director of Liberty, Mr Wadham was instrumental in persuading the government to set up an independent police complaints system.

Mr Wadham's fellow deputy director at the IPCC, also appointed by Home Secretary David Blunkett, will be Claire Gilham, a deputy district judge and a lecturer at Salford University. They will report to Nick Hardwick, formerly of the Refugee Council.

The IPCC, which will replace the existing Police Complaints Authority next April, aims to improve public confidence in the police complaints procedure.

Civilians

For the first time, civilians will investigate allegations made against the police, rather than inquiries being conducted by other officers.

Complaints The IPCC, which will replace the Police Complaints Authority in April 2004, aims to maintain public confidence in the police complaints process through greater openness, accessibility and independence. The Commission will be independent of the Government and the police and will take its own decisions on the type of investigation appropriate to particular complaints. Next week, the IPCC begins an �80,000 advertising campaign to recruit 150 investigators. They will carry out inquiries into serious incidents involving the police, with powers to see evidence and conduct interviews.

Mr Wadham, 51, will take up his full-time post in September along with 15 commissioners, dealing with police complaints and investigating alleged misconduct.

They will oversee the work of 150 investigators who will carry out inquiries into serious incidents involving the police, with powers to see evidence and conduct interviews.

Mr Blunkett said: "The establishment of the IPCC is an important part of the government's reforms of the police service.

"It will help to ensure that complaints or allegations of misconduct against police staff are investigated thoroughly and that the system is open and transparent."