Inquiry into how Yard acts on complaints

A far-reaching inquiry is launched today into how Scotland Yard handles high-profile complaints such as the controversial Ali Dizaei case.

Sir Bill Morris, the inquiry chairman, said the hearings would focus on why investigations into complaints took so long and whether current police procedures were "relevant to the 21st century."

However, he emphasised that the inquiry will not focus solely on individuals such as Superintendent Dizaei or on the issue of race. The highly respected former general secretary of the Transport and General Workers Union said: "This inquiry will not be about individuals, it will be about the police organisation. "

The hearing was set up following the collapse of the Yard's multi-million pound corruption investigation into Mr Dizaei. The high-ranking ethnic minority officer was cleared of fiddling his expenses at an Old Bailey trial after a two-year police investigation.

He was awarded £80,000 compensation and put on a fast-track senior command course.