Accessibility

Font size

Filters

Highlight

Colour

Zoom

 

*New emergency number for police, fire and ambulance is 999*

Public Tragedy Charter

A new charter for persons affected by public tragedy has been adopted by the Royal Gibraltar Police.

The news comes after all 43 UK Home Office Forces adopted the charter, after recommendations made following an inquiry into the Hillsborough Disaster.

The principles of the charter link with our Code of Ethics, in particular, honesty and integrity.

All members of the RGP, including Constables and Civil Servants, are expected to abide by its contents.

In adopting this Charter, we are committing to ensure that we learn lessons from major incidents, natural disasters and incidents causing death or serious injury.

This commitment is to ensure that the perspective of those affected is not lost.

The Charter

We strive to:

  1. In the event of a public tragedy, support the activation of emergency plans and deployment of resources to rescue victims, to support the bereaved and to protect the vulnerable.
  2. Place the public interest above our own reputations.
  3. Approach forms of public scrutiny – including public inquiries and inquests – with candour, in an open, honest and transparent way, making full disclosure of relevant documents, material and facts. Our objective is to assist the search for the truth. We accept that we should learn from the findings of external scrutiny and from past mistakes.
  4. Avoid seeking to defend the indefensible or to dismiss or disparage those who may have suffered where we have fallen short.
  5. Ensure all members of staff treat members of the public and each other with mutual respect and with courtesy. Where we fall short, we should apologise straightforwardly and genuinely. 
  6. Recognise that we are accountable and open to challenge. We will ensure that processes are in place to allow the public to hold us to account for the work we do and for the way in which we do it. We do not knowingly mislead the public or the media.