Exclusive | Commission of inquiry is possible but let’s not look into individual police officers’ conduct: IPCC chief Anthony Neoh
- Anthony Neoh is not against the idea of a commission of inquiry, which the city leader has rejected
- But he says delving into individual officers’ actions would mean them being ‘disciplined twice’
A judge-led inquiry into unrest which has rocked Hong Kong for months should not delve into individual police officers’ culpability, as that would mean them being “disciplined twice”, the head of the police watchdog has said.
Anthony Neoh SC, who heads the Independent Police Complaints Council (IPCC), said any commission of inquiry should instead focus on ways to improve police operations, as well as social problems facing the young people who make up the vanguard of the protest movement.
“When the officer investigated by his own peers and the Complaints Against Police Office process [finds] ‘I got investigated again, so I’m under double jeopardy’ ... he’s going to scream, basically,” Neoh said.
By law, anyone’s testimony before a commission is exempt from civil and criminal proceedings, but not disciplinary proceedings.
“Therefore it boils down to what could be improved, what went wrong, so on. If that is done that way, I think they should wait for our report, from the IPCC, then if not sufficient, then do that,” he said, suggesting that there might be a proper time for a commission of inquiry further down the road.