Social workers trained to spot abusive police
PUBLIC sector staff who work with vulnerable people alongside the police have been offered training so they can spot rogue police officers.
Teachers and social workers are among professionals being trained to identify police officers who abuse their position to sleep with vulnerable adults and children.
A series of scandals involving police abusing public trust to have sex with victims of crime, witnesses and even suspects has rocked forces.
The most notorious cases include those of Sarah Everard, who was raped and murdered by a serving Met Officer, and David Carrick, 48, who will be sentenced next month for horrific sex crimes.
A social worker, who asked not to be named, said he had been offered
a place on a course run by a force counter corruption unit, to learn what to look out for in respect of predatory officers and also how to sound the alarm.
The source said he was offered the
course by Cheshire Police. He said: “It was on how to spot police officers abusing their positions to exploit vulnerable people for sex.
“I remember thinking at the time it must be bad if they’re doing training courses on police abusing clients.
“Having a course on sexual exploitation by police officers is an admission there is a big problem.”
The invitation explained that the course was “for all staff who work with vulnerable people in children and families and adult services”.
It said the course was designed to “provide an understanding of the concept of police officers abusing their position for sexual gain with vulnerable people; provide information to enable employees who support vulnerable people to identify signs and signals that a vulnerable person may be being abused and to provide clear direction as to reporting should concerns be raised”.
Alan Collins, partner in the abuse team at Hugh James Solicitors, said: “Training on abuse of positions of trust is absolutely necessary and should be compulsory and UK wide.
“We have seen too many cases where police officers have used their positions to abuse the vulnerable, causing immense damage to victims, undermining confidence among the public and causing considerable reputational damage to the police.”