A police oversight body has concluded that twelve former officers would have been subject to gross misconduct proceedings for their professional failures related to the Hillsborough disaster, had they still been serving. However, none will face formal discipline as all have since retired from their positions.
The findings, detailed in a comprehensive report, identify ten individuals from South Yorkshire Police and two from West Midlands Police. Among them was the chief constable of South Yorkshire Police at the time of the 1989 tragedy, who is now deceased. The allegations against him include attempts to minimize the force’s responsibility and to shift blame onto the victims, who were supporters of Liverpool Football Club.
The two senior officers from West Midlands Police, which was tasked with investigating South Yorkshire Police after the disaster, would have faced accusations of an ineffective and biased investigation that favored their fellow officers.
This report concludes a 14-year investigation, described as the largest of its kind in England and Wales. It follows a landmark independent panel’s findings that overturned the original accidental death verdicts. The investigation upheld 110 complaints against former officers, citing issues including dishonesty, discreditable conduct, and neglect of duty.
While some family members of the victims have acknowledged the report’s findings, many express profound frustration. They are angered that more officers were not held accountable for what they describe as a sustained campaign to falsely blame supporters, and they remain disappointed by what they see as inadequate criticism of the initial West Midlands Police investigation.
The disaster, which occurred during an FA Cup semi-final at Sheffield Wednesday’s stadium, resulted in the unlawful killing of 97 people. Subsequent inquests found that failures by South Yorkshire Police were the cause, and that fan behavior played no part. Despite these verdicts, no police officer has ever been convicted of a criminal offence related to the event.
The report states that the match commander would have faced ten gross misconduct charges, including for falsely claiming that fans forced a gate open, when he had in fact ordered it opened. Other senior officers with crowd safety responsibilities, along with an assistant chief constable who was present but failed to direct lifesaving efforts, are also named.
A separate allegation involves an officer who claimed his horse was burned by supporters, a claim deemed false.
In response to the long struggle for accountability, campaigners have successfully pushed for new legislation, known colloquially as the “Hillsborough Law,” which aims to impose a legal duty of candour and transparency on public officials. A leading campaigner, who lost her son in the tragedy, stated that it remains “absolutely ridiculous” that so few have been formally accused of misconduct after 36 years of fighting for the truth.
Senior officials at the watchdog body expressed sympathy with the families’ ongoing pursuit of answers and justice, acknowledging the deep dissatisfaction that persists. They noted that while a defensive and blame-shifting culture within the police force at the time is an established fact, proving individual culpability to the high standard required for misconduct proceedings remains a significant challenge. The body has endorsed the new law, suggesting its existence in 1989 might have revealed the full facts much earlier.