Revealed: the scale of sexual abuse by police officers

[super jumbe]

Northumbria police constable Stephen Mitchell, who was jailed for life after admitting charges of rape, indecent assault and misconduct in public office.


Guardian investigation finds sexual predators in police are abusing their power to target victims of crime

Sexual predators in the police are abusing their power to target victims of crime they are supposed to be helping, as well as fellow officers and female staff, the Guardian can reveal.

An investigation into the scale and extent of the problem suggests sexual misconduct could be more widespread than previously believed.

The situation raises questions about the efficacy of the police complaints system, the police's internal whistleblowing procedures, the vetting of officers and a failure to monitor disciplinary offences.

Police officers have been convicted or disciplined for a range of offences from rape and sexual assault to misconduct in public office relating to inappropriate sexual behaviour with vulnerable women they have met on duty. Others are awaiting trial for alleged offences, though many are never charged with a criminal offence and are dealt with via internal disciplinary procedures.

The problem is to a large extent hidden, as no official statistics are kept and few details are released about internal disciplinary action in such cases.

By analysing the data available ? including court cases and misconduct proceedings ? the Guardian has attempted to document the scale of the corruption for the first time
.
In the past four years, there were 56 cases involving police officers and a handful of community support officers who either were found to have abused their position to rape, sexually assault or harass women and young people or were investigated over such allegations.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) and the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) are so concerned they are carrying out a rare joint inquiry into the scale of the problem, which will be published in September, the Guardian can reveal.

Their work was prompted by the case of the Northumbria police constable Stephen Mitchell, 43, who was jailed for life in January 2011

IPCC figures show that 15% of the 837 corruption cases referred by forces to the watchdog between 2008 and 2011 involved abuse of authority by a police officer, and 9% involved misuse of systems.

Link: Revealed: the scale of sexual abuse by police officers | UK news | The Guardian



Police officers to investigate rape only to go and rape the victim again and even abuse the victim disgusting.


This was a scum from the officers we suppose to trust?.

I wonder if dk members have a good word for this officers!!!!!!!!

[cgscott]

I wonder if dk members have a good word for this officers!!!!!!!!

No comment. Would only cause upset.

[super jumbe]

Originally Posted by cgscott
No comment. Would only cause upset.



Upset who? They are already ~~~~ed!!!

Would be better to keep quiet in order an abuse to be carried on and on?..

[Snowy79]

More headline grabbing stories from newspapers. Why let the truth get in the way of a good story ? Why don't they list the actual figures rather than lump them together ?

According to statisitcs there were 135,834 police officers in England and Wales in 2011. Basics maths works that out at 14 offences per year. No actual figures for how many were rape or sexual offences. I'm sure the same figures or worse could be made for Nurses, care workers. Bus drivers etc.

Sadly stories like this just feed the uneducated mind, who think because a tiny percentage of a certain employment carry out an act, then everyone who does that job gets tarred with the same brush.

The same paper published that in an average weekend there were 67 cases of domestic and sexual violence against partners in Glasgow but when there was an old firm game on this increased to 142. That's only in one weekend. Again using basic maths does this mean if you are a Celtic or Rangers fan this makes you a dam sight worse than a Policeman or Community Officer ? I'm sure you could transfer these figures to any major City.

Sometimes it's better to sit back and digest the information rather than being suckered into the sensationalism.

[johnboy1974]

Well there's bad apples in every job, why would the police be any different?

What's disappointing for me is that the good cops see it, but say nothing.

[firemouth]

More headline grabbing stories from newspapers. Why let the truth get in the way of a good story ? Why don't they list the actual figures rather than lump them together ?

According to statisitcs there were 135,834 police officers in England and Wales in 2011. Basics maths works that out at 14 offences per year. No actual figures for how many were rape or sexual offences. I'm sure the same figures or worse could be made for Nurses, care workers. Bus drivers etc.

Sadly stories like this just feed the uneducated mind, who think because a tiny percentage of a certain employment carry out an act, then everyone who does that job gets tarred with the same brush.

The same paper published that in an average weekend there were 67 cases of domestic and sexual violence against partners in Glasgow but when there was an old firm game on this increased to 142. That's only in one weekend. Again using basic maths does this mean if you are a Celtic or Rangers fan this makes you a dam sight worse than a Policeman or Community Officer ? I'm sure you could transfer these figures to any major City.

Sometimes it's better to sit back and digest the information rather than being suckered into the sensationalism.

well said!

[Canker_Canison]

Just to add to Snowy's post..

How many of these reports are just allegations?

Drunk female chav causes trouble & has to restrained on the floor. During this an officer places a knee on her ass to stop her from moving. She then put's a complaint in saying the grabbed her ass while she was pinned down.

There's no case to answer, but it will still show up in the stats as a report of sexual assault.