Police face £5m bill as suspensions drag on

and

POLICE forces are spending an estimated £5m a year on suspended officers, amid concern over delays in disciplinary investigations.

Figures obtained under a Freedom of Information (FoI) request found that almost £12m was paid in wages to officers suspended from duty between 2014 and 2018.

But only 26 of the 43 forces in England and Wales responded, with the Metropolitan Police among those failing to provide information.

Across the country, it is thought the overall figure for the past four years could be more than £20m.

An officer can be suspended for a variety of reasons, ranging from professional misconduct to allegations of criminal behaviour. But there is mounting concern that the disciplinary process is taking too long to complete, wasting huge amounts of money.

Some officers have been suspended for a number of years before eventually being cleared of any wrongdoing.

In 2012, Vaughan Lowe, a West Midlands officer, was suspended after he killed a pedestrian while responding to a 999 call in an unmarked car.

He served a suspension of more than six years before he was cleared of both causing death by dangerous driving in court and gross misconduct by the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

John Apter, chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said suspension should be the last option and investigations had to be faster.

He said: “It is right and proper that the actions of police officers are open to scrutiny but there must be a balance and the investigation process must be proportionate and fair.

“I understand why, for some, the focus is on the cost … but the emotional toll on officers and their families can be horrific and is something which must be considered by local professional standards departments and the Independent Office for Police Conduct.”

According to data obtained by The Sunday Telegraph, 678 officers and staff were suspended on full pay between 2014 and 2018.

Of the forces that responded, Devon and Cornwall had the largest bill: £1.4m to 42 officers.

West Yorkshire Police had the most officers suspended from duty between 2014 and 2018, at 62.