INVESTIGATIONS INTO POLICE OFFICERS AND STAFF ACCUSED OF DOMESTIC ABUSE - ASSURANCES SOUGHT

02/05/2019

APCC Victims Lead, Dame Vera Baird said:

“We understand that the Home Office Minister, Victoria Atkins MP, has written to Police Chiefs looking for assurances that everything is being done to ensure the appropriate handling of allegations of domestic abuse made against police officers and staff.

“Whilst it is important to reiterate that most police officers and staff do a fantastic job keeping us safe, we need to recognise that they are in an extremely powerful position and that fewer than one quarter of allegations of domestic abuse led to disciplinary action is a real cause of concern.

“It is right that the current processes in place are looked at. There has been a great deal of work undertaken to improve the police complaints system, but we need guard against the emergence of culture where forces and individuals become resistant to hearing about wrongdoing in their colleagues.

“As APCC Victims Lead, I will be encouraging all Police and Crime Commissioners to speak with their Chief Constables in order to satisfy themselves that the right systems are in place to investigate these types of allegations.”

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Notes for editors

Figures related to allegations about alleged abuse by police come from a Freedom of Information request, conducted by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ) (link)