A watchdog revealed that the number of police officers and staff who have been subject to disciplinary action for using their position for sexual gain has increased sharply.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct reported that seventy were investigated last – a significant increase from ten in 2016.
Between April 2018 to March 2018, 66 individuals were facing misconduct proceedings as a result of an investigation.
According to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, seventy police officers were investigated for using their positions for sexual gain in 2017. This was more than ten officers who were investigated in 2016. (file photo).
These 42 cases were within the last 12 months. In 63 cases, misconduct was proved.
Seven police officers and staff were also charged with criminal offences. Three of these convictions resulted in an immediate custodial sentence.
The watchdog’s deputy director general, Claire Bassett, said that recent events – including the kidnap, rape and murder of Sarah Everard at the hands of firearms officer Wayne Couzens – served as a reminder that policing must root out this behaviour.
‘It’s really important that there is a culture in policing that has a zero tolerance of any form of behaviour that is insulting, is sexist, is homophobic – there is just no place for that in modern policing,’ she said.
“We want to hear that message from the forces.”
The deputy director general of Watchdog said that Wayne Couzens, a firearms officer, kidnapped, raped and murdered Sarah Everard was a reminder of the need for policing to stop this behavior.
Three weeks ago, Alan Butler, a Warwickshire Police Investigator was sentenced to 18 months in prison for relationships he had made with two women whose cases were under his supervision.
The 64-year-old’manipulative’ father, a married man with more than 30 years of service, targeted one victim when she filed a report about her father’s historic child sexual abuse.
He was found guilty on two counts of misconduct in public office.
Chief Constable Lauren Poultney, National Police Chiefs’ Council, stated that they recognize the need to spot signs of corruption internally. They have shared information and training with officers about this as well as highlighting the channels to report it.