"There has been significant coverage in the national
media over the last few days in relation to the number of allegations of sexual
misconduct against police officers.
These figures were taken from a Freedom of Information request
submitted in August 2021 asking for the number of allegations made against
police officers across all 43 UK forces between 2016 and 2020.
"At a time when policing has never been more under the
spotlight following the murder of Sarah Everard at the hands of a serving
officer, it is important to remember that the vast majority of our officers and
staff come to work every day to seek to protect the public and keep people
safe. However, when a police officer does abuse their position, it has a hugely
damaging impact on the trust and confidence in the police.
Robust procedures are in place to ensure that anyone
reporting any allegation of any form of misconduct, whether a member of the
public or a member of staff, can do so with the utmost confidence that their
complaint will be treated seriously and will be investigated fully.
Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Ali Barlow said: “Any
allegation we receive, whether externally or internally, is always treated
seriously and our position is absolutely clear - one case is one too many,
police officers are in a position of trust, and there is no place in our
organisation for people who abuse their position or act in such a way.
“However, we must remember that these officers and staff are
in the minority and that the vast majority are working really hard to build
trust and confidence in our local communities, and doing all they can to ensure
that women and girls feel safe on our streets.”
To ensure we are as open and transparent as possible, outcomes of gross misconduct hearings and criminal cases are published internally and externally on our web site. This ensures that we remain accountable to the public who put their trust in us."