Ministers to give police chiefs more powers to sack rogue cops in major overhaul
MINISTERS will give police chiefs more powers to sack rogue cops in a major overhaul of the misconduct system this week.
Two thousand cops across England and Wales could be first in line for the new disciplinary rules and be forced out as they face accusations of sexual assault and corruption.
Home Office Minister Chris Philp worked on the plans, coming in a series of crime-related announcements this week.
He previously said he is “very sympathetic” to providing senior officers with powers to “swiftly” dismiss those who fall foul of misconduct standards, are under-performing or failed re-vetting.
Met Police Commissioner Mark Rowley has said: “We’ve been too weak, too forgiving of standards that in any sensible organisation would say, ‘That’s a red card, you’re gone’.”
Figures reveal that between October 2021 and March this year, 1,500 officers and staff stood accused of violence against women and girls — but only 13 were booted out.
It comes in the wake of Wayne Couzens, a serving Met officer, kidnapping and killing Sarah Everard in March 2021.
He could have been identified as a sex offender some six years before he went on to kill the marketing executive.
Firearms officer David Carrick was jailed earlier this year for more than 80 sexual offences.
He passed re-vetting tests after fellow cops failed to link several complaints about his sickening behaviour.
And more than half of the police officers reported for abusing their position for sex in the past five years are still serving.
Figures reveal that 336 officers and staff have been reported since 2018 but 178 remain on the force.
But of the 72 who have been found guilty only 45 were booted out.