Sex assault allegations made against 15 county police officers in 5 years
THREE HAVE BEEN SACKED, THOUGH MOST CASES NOT UPHELD
SEXUAL assault allegations have been made against 15 serving Derbyshire police officers in recent years.
Derbyshire Constabulary has revealed that three officers have been dismissed as a result of these accusations, although most of these complaints were either not upheld or it was found the officers had no case to answer.
It comes after the horrific rape and murder of Sarah Everard by a serving Metropolitan Police officer has thrust how police forces deal with allegations of sexual misconduct among their ranks into the limelight.
The details were revealed following a Freedom of Information request asking for the number of sexual assault claims against serving police officers between 2016 and 2020 in forces across the UK.
In its response to this, Derbyshire police confirmed 15 officers had been accused of sexual assault in this time frame.
It added that of these, five complaints were not upheld, one was withdrawn, four officers were found to have no case to answer and one was discontinued.
The figures showed that one officer was investigated after the allegation but it was found their actions did not amount to misconduct. Three officers were dismissed from the force as a result of allegations, the FOI revealed.
Greater Manchester Police saw the most accusations, with 158 claims of sexual assault against serving officers between 2016 and 2020.
Superintendent Richard Lambert, head of Derbyshire police’s Professional Standards Directorate, said: “As a service, we have hundreds of officers, who every day seek to protect the public and keep people safe.
“However, when a police officer does abuse their position, it has a hugely damaging impact on the trust and confidence in the police.
“As a force, we take a proactive approach to dealing with this, treating every allegation with the seriousness it deserves, which is reflected in the number of investigations that are carried out.
“However, our position is absolutely clear – one case is one too many, police officers are in a position of trust, and there is no place in our organisation for people who abuse their position or act in such a way.
“We are working really hard to build trust and confidence in our communities. The knowledge of the fear that Wayne Couzens has put into the minds of many women, and the impact of his actions has and will continue to raise important questions about women’s safety.
“We now need to take steps to make sure women and girls feel safe as they go about their lives and this is echoed in our commitment to tackling violence against women and girls.”