Over 1,500 UK police officers accused of violence against women

By Mehmet Solmaz

BIRMINGHAM, England (AA) - A total of 1,483 allegations of violence were reported against 1,539 police officers in England and Wales over a period of six months, according to data released by the National Police Chiefs’ Council on Tuesday.

Only 13 officers and staff were sacked for misconduct, and nobody was fired as a result of public complaints.

The report, which is first of its kind, has been put together with data gathered between October 2021 and March 2022. Subsequent national assessments will be published annually.

Just over half the cases were conduct matters, which are usually raised by personnel within the police department.

The remaining cases, 524 (45%), were complaints from the public. Almost two-thirds of the complaints from the public were about the use of force, while 9% concerned harassment, 6% related to assault, and 5% abuse of position for a sexual purpose.

For the conduct allegations, 48% concerned discreditable conduct outside working hours, while 19% related to sexual assault, 13% to sexual harassment, and 6% to abuse of position for a sexual purpose.

Deputy Chief Constable Maggie Blyth, the National Police Chiefs’ Council coordinator for violence against women and girls, said: “Our publication today reinforces the urgency and importance of our current mission to lift the stones and root abusers and corrupt individuals out of policing alongside delivering the long term, sustainable improvements to standards, vetting and misconduct processes we have promised."

Nicole Jacobs, the domestic abuse commissioner, welcomed the report and said the victims and survivors need to see that robust action is being taken by the police as confidence remains at an all-time low.

“It shows that forces are taking steps in the right direction to tackle perpetrators within the police as well as addressing sexism and misogyny within policing. There is still a long way to go.”