Police Officers guilty of abuse to be dismissed

Under a new crackdown to restore public confidence, police officers who domestically abuse women face automatic dismissal and a ban on returning to the profession.

 

Following a series of racism, misconduct, and sex scandals, the professional body for policing has issued guidance requiring zero tolerance of violence against women and girls in all disciplinary hearings. Chief executive of the College of Policing, Chief Constable Andy Marsh, said: "It seems common sense to me that any officer who abuses a woman should be sacked."

 

Figures obtained through Freedom of Information laws this year revealed that since 2018 more than 1,300 officers and staff have been reported for alleged domestic abuse - but that only 36 have been dismissed. Some 203 have resigned, retired, or left for other reasons. When questioned about the data, Mr Marsh said that the guidance was clear on any violence against women, be that on or off duty, "there's no place for you in policing," he said.

 

The updated guidance has been drawn up by legally qualified chairs, for chief constables and misconduct hearings. Penalties include written warnings, final written warnings, demotions, or dismissals from the force. There are more than 1,200 hearings a year.

 

The guidance has a new section for violence against women and girls, and states such cases will have a "high degree of culpability."  The guidance also states that, regarding sexual harassment where the behaviour is driven by misogyny, misconduct hearings will be expected to "increase the assessed seriousness" of the penalty.

 

The guidance has lowered the bar for penalties by requiring panels to take into account the wider impact on public confidence in the police when considering individual cases of misconduct.

 

Mr Marsh said: "I have spoken before about my frustration caused by having to readmit officers who I thought should have been shown the door. In many cases the guidance wasn't clear enough that legally qualified chairs should be considering the impact an incident may have on wider public confidence as well as the incident itself."

 

"Today's guidance is clear that the undermining of public confidence caused by an officer's wrongdoing should be central to decision-making."

 

Mr Marsh also demanded that, unless there were "serious extenuating circumstances" against it, all misconduct hearings should be held in public. He also called for more "accelerated" fast-track misconduct hearings by chief constables to root out errant officers more quickly.

 

Home Secretary, Priti Patel, said: "Police officers who fall seriously short of the standards expected of them must be dealt with fairly and robustly."

 

The Johnson Partnership

Derby Crime Solicitors 

01332 370 473