IPCC Commissioner Deborah Glass has today announced a number of referrals received from the Metropolitan Police Authority. She said: "We have today received referrals from the Metropolitan Police Authority about the conduct of four current or former senior Metropolitan Police officers.
"The matters referred involve:
The conduct of the Met Commissioner in carrying overall responsibility for the investigation into phone hacking;
The conduct of Assistant Commissioner John Yates:
- in his review in July 2009 and overall role in relation to the phone hacking investigation; and
- in his alleged involvement in inappropriately securing employment for the daughter of a friend;
"The conduct of two former senior officers in their role in the phone hacking investigation.
"The role of the Met Police in its original investigation into phone hacking has rightly come under huge public scrutiny. These matters are already the subject of a judge-led public inquiry announced on 13 July which is looking into the way in which police investigated allegations of conduct by persons connected to News International.
"I now need to assess these referrals carefully to determine what should be investigated at this stage, bearing in mind the judicial inquiry, and I will seek to liaise with Lord Justice Leveson as soon as possible. I will publish our terms of reference once I have carefully reviewed the material referred to us.
"To the extent that these referrals raise serious allegations about senior Met officers it is right that they be independently investigated – and I will ensure that our investigation follows the evidence without fear or favour.
"It must also be right that people do not rush to judgement until that work is done."
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