Britain’s police watchdog said yesterday it would launch the biggest ever independent inquiry into potential police wrongdoing after a damning report about the 1989 Hillsborough football stadium disaster.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said a “large number” of both former and current officers would be investigated as it probes whether there was a criminal cover-up of police failings.
State prosecutors also said Wednesday they would review all the panel’s material and examine whether charges can be brought.
After an exhaustive review of thousands of formerly secret documents, the Hillsborough Independent Panel’s report last month exposed police attempts to deflect blame onto Liverpool supporters, 96 of whom died in the crush.
It found that 164 police statements had been altered, 116 of them to remove or change “unfavourable” accounts about the force’s handling of the crisis.
The IPCC said officers would be investigated over what happened on the day of the tragedy, and during the alleged cover-up afterwards.
“This will be the largest independent inquiry that has been launched into the actions of the police in the United Kingdom,” said IPCC deputy chair Deborah Glass.
“The report revealed extremely serious and troubling issues for the police. Its contents provoked a demand for those responsible for the actions revealed in the report to be held to account.”
The IPCC has started to examine the 450,000 pages of the report’s supporting evidence to identify what conduct requires investigation.
The body will probe the amendments to officers’ statements – “who ordered it, who knew about it, who was involved in the process, and was pressure put on individual officers?” Glass said.
It will also look at allegations that misleading information was passed to the media, lawmakers, parliament and inquiries “in an apparent attempt to deflect blame from the police on to the fans”.
The IPCC will also examine the actions of police officers after the disaster, including checking victims’ blood alcohol levels and criminal records.
The disaster was triggered by massive overcrowding in the Leppings Lane End of Hillsborough stadium in the northern city of Sheffield at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.
To ease overcrowding outside, police opened an exit gate, allowing supporters to flood into the central pens. Fenced in, Liverpool fans were crushed to death.
Liverpool Football Club welcomed the announcements yesterday.
“This is another significant step forward in the campaign for justice for Hillsborough families and survivors,” said managing director Ian Ayre.
“We will follow the progress of this investigation and remain resolute in our support of the families and survivors as they continue with their battle to bring those responsible for the tragedy to justice.”