Top police chief faces probe over allegations he cheated on course
ONE of Scotland’s most senior police officers faces a full- scale inquiry over claims he cheated on a professional course.
Assistant Chief Constable Wayne Mawson has been accused of passing off a junior officer’s work as his own while trying to secure a qualification vital to his job.
The potentially career-ending allegations were made anonymously and have been referred to the Scottish Police Authority.
Mr Mawson has been viewed as a potential candidate to take over Police Scotland’s Chief Constable position if and when Sir Stephen House steps down.
An internal inquiry by the force Counter-Corruption Unit has taken place, but this has now been handed to the SPA watchdog by Deputy Chief Constable Neil Richardson.
It is believed the allegations
Claims: Wayne Mawson are being assessed to see if a full- scale independent investigation will take place.
Labour MSP Graeme Pearson, a former deputy chief constable who has completed what he called the ‘high-octane’ strategic command course, said: ‘In the context of the course, such allegations will ri ghtly be thoroughly investigated.’
Mr Mawson has been one of the most high- profile chief officers in Scotland and was the public face of the controversial stop-and-search tactics.
The accusations of cheating relate to his attendance at the UK College of Policing’s prestigious Strategic Command Course i n Sunningdale, Berkshire, earlier this year. While normally a chief constable would be expected to have passed this two-month course, or equival ent, before taking up the position, Mr Mawson was given the job without it.
He took up his position as assistant chief constable, with responsibility for community policing in the West of Scotland, two years before graduating from Sunningdale in March.
One of the tasks at the course was to design a new system for dealing with a particular branch of policing.
It is alleged that Mr Mawson submitted work carried out by an officer under his command.
It is believed that this officer is not under investigation.
It is also thought that before submitting work, participants on the course must sign a document stating all the work has been completed by them.
The SPA, which will meet later this summer, will not assess the cheating claims, but whether or not they would amount to misconduct or gross misconduct. If it feels the claims would amount to misconduct the investigation will be passed to the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner Kate Frame.
Miss Frame’s team will then judge the merits of the allegations based on the available evidence.
An SPA spokesman said: ‘Consideration of complaints and conduct issues are confidential while being progressed.’
Police Scotland refused to comment on the allegations.
‘Conduct issues are confidential’