Breast-flashing assistant chief constable will not be dismissed

Policing leaders are calling on the Home Secretary to standardise a misconduct process as one of the country`s most senior women officers escaped the sack after being accused of bullying a junior colleague about the size of her breasts. Last month a disciplinary panel ruled that Assistant Chief Constable Rebekah Sutcliffe was guilty of gross misconduct for an hour-long drunken tirade against Superintendent Sarah Jackson. Ms Sutcliffe told Supt Jackson at a conference that her “credibility was zero” after she had a “boob job” and berated her as a “laughing stock” who would be judged professionally “on the size of her tits”. Ms Sutcliffe, who at the time was the highest-ranking female officer in Greater Manchester Police (GMP), then allegedly exposed her left breast, saying: “Look at these. Look at these. These are the breasts of someone who has had three children. “They are ugly but I don`t feel the need to pump myself full of silicone to get self-esteem.” The panel had stated her behaviour had breached professional standards and taken her to “the very precipice of dismissal” but accepted it was out of character and recommended a final written warning would suffice. And on Monday (January 30), GMP Deputy Chief Constable Ian Pilling agreed with the panel and decided that she could keep her job. After the ruling, Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said that the Government’s decision to create independent disciplinary panels to increase openness and transparency had led to a situation nationally where “gross misconduct findings do not always lead to dismissal”. Mr Hopkins added: “The two-phase process that only exists for chief officers has left us in a difficult situation. “The matter should have been concluded at the original hearing for the sake of all concerned and Greater Manchester Police.” As a result, he said he would be writing to Home Secretary Amber Rudd demanding that “all officers” be treated the same in a standardising of the whole process. His call was backed by Greater Manchester mayor and police and crime commissioner (MPCC) Tony Lloyd who condemned the “pointless” second hearing that put the force in a “ludicrous position, and has prolonged an already drawn-out process”. The MPCC added: “Such hearings give the public the impression that GMP is culpable for a decision which was, in fact, made by others. “I agree with the chief constable that the anomaly of second hearings for senior police officers needs to be scrapped.” Mr Lloyd went on: ”Chief officers should be held to the same standard as any other police officer. There should not be a separate process, never mind a process that simply doesn’t make any sense. “The police misconduct system has many imperfections, but this particular element is one that can be fixed easily.” Ms Sutcliffe verbally attacked her younger subordinate following a gala dinner at the national Senior Women in Policing Conference last May. The haranguing in the early hours of May 6 at Manchester`s Hilton Hotel concluded when Ms Sutcliffe told her colleague she was no longer going to support a further promotion for her. Supt Jackson, who was appointed by Ms Sutcliffe as a temporary superintendent in a secondment role, later said she was “shocked, mortified, embarrassed and ashamed” at the comments made by her superior. She added that she had suffered “great anxiety from the night itself and since”. Ms Sutcliffe`s counsel, John Beggs QC, had handed the panel more than 200 pages of testimonials with many officers speaking of Ms Sutcliffe as “inspirational”, “visionary” and “a strong leader”. One unnamed female detective chief inspector at GMP said she is “a role model to many women in the organisation”. Mr Beggs said she remained a role model, with “human frailties”, who would “emerge as an even more impressive senior leader” if allowed to. Announcing his decision at the force`s HQ to follow the panel`s recommendation, Mr Pilling said: “Despite being absolutely appalled at her behaviour and all too aware of the dama