Express & Star

Hillsborough disaster: West Midlands Police 'determined to be open and accountable'

No stone will be left unturned in getting to the truth of whether West Midlands Police was part of a cover-up over the Hillsborough Disaster, the shadow policing minister has declared.

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Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson also insisted the force was determined to be 'open and accountable' over the investigation.

Files detailing whether West Midlands officers were part of a cover-up will be passed to prosecutors at the end of the year.

  • MORE: Hillsborough investigators examine Wolves v Spurs 1981 crush

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Former officers could face criminal charges over the force's investigation into the deaths of 96 Liverpool fans at the Sheffield stadium 27 years ago, the police watchdog has said.

Allegations of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, perverting the course of justice, perjury, and misconduct in public office are being investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

It comes after it was revealed families of the victims were pursuing legal action against both South Yorkshire and West Midlands forces.

Mr Jamieson told the Express & Star: "We want to make every bit of information from our force that is relevant to their inquiry open to anybody. There will be no cover-up.

"The Chief Constable and I are totally at one on that. There is total determination to make sure were are open and accountable."

Last week the inquest jury found the 96 fans that died as a result of a crush at the FA Cup Semi Final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest were unlawfully killed.

And Jack Dromey, Labour's Shadow Policing Minister, said the authorities would leave 'no stone unturned' in bringing anyone who was involved in any cover-up to account.

But Mr Dromey, who was speaking during a visit to Dudley, defended today's police officers across the UK.

He said: "I was in tears, as were many MPs. At last justice was done for the families of 96 people who died terrible deaths. Now those responsible need to be called to account and the next stage will be strengthening the accountability of the police.

"There are terrible wrongs of 27 years ago but we should not tar the whole British Police Service with the same brush of that wrongdoing. The modern police service is a very different police service from what it was 27 years ago. Those responsible then need to be brought to account."

Mr Dromey believes attitudes towards football fans from the police have changed since the disaster in 1989.

He said: "As part of my tour of the country I was at the Swansea v Chelsea game recently. There was a peaceful operation and only three arrests and no big problems. There is an engagement with police and we want fans to feel like they see us as friends. Lessons have been learned from a very sad history."

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