Hillsborough investigation: IPCC granted powers to force police to testify The Hillsborough independent panel's report exposed the scale of the cover-up by South Yorkshire police in the aftermath of the disaster in 1989. The police watchdog has been given new powers to compel police officers and staff to testify as witnesses as it prepares for a extensive investigation into the Hillsborough cover-up. The government announced two new powers for the Independent Police Complaints Commissionand said it needed them to carry out its inquiry into alleged wrongdoing by officers following the 1989 football disaster. The home secretary announced the powers in a written statement on Thursday, which also revealed that the IPCC expects to start interviewing witnesses early next year. The change will be introduced as a fast-track measure and will be controversial as some in policing disagree with officers having fewer rights than civilians in being compelled to attend interviews, albeit as witnesses. In her statement, Theresa May said the families of the Hillsborough victims had already waited 23 years: "I have today published fast-track legislation that will enable the IPCC to conduct a thorough, transparent and exhaustive investigation into the Hillsborough disaster." May announced two new powers. She said: "The first is to compel individuals currently serving with the police or certain other policing bodies, to attend an interview in relation to any investigation managed or undertaken by the IPCC in the capacity of a witness." The second new power allows the IPCC to conduct investigations into allegations examined by its predecessor, the Police Complaints Authority. The home secretary said: "This power will only be exercised where the IPCC is satisfied that the exceptional circumstances of the case justify its use." Both new powers will be permanent and will be contained in a police complaints and conduct bill. The Hillsborough independent panel's report exposed the scale of the cover-up by South Yorkshire police in the aftermath of the disaster in 1989 that left 96 dead. The panel found that officers altered 116 of their 164 statements to remove or amend comments that were unfavourable to South Yorkshire police, as they tried to blame the victims, namely the Liverpool fans, for the disaster. The director of public prosecutions, Keir Starmer, is also examining if any possible crimes were committed by police. The IPCC has told MPs that the total number of officers it may have to examine is 2,444, and its investigators will have to locate and comb through 450,000 pages of documents.