Hundreds of officers placed on national barred list
Almost 400 police officers in 12 months have been placed on the national barred list, according to the latest figures from the College of Policing , an increase of nearly 25 per cent on the previous year.
Released on Friday (November 3), the annual figures for the period April 1, 2022, to March 31, 2023, show the number of regular police officers (excluding members of the Special Constabulary) placed on the list following a conduct hearing was 394, compared with 299 the previous year.
Seventy-five of the officers were dismissed for instances of dishonesty, while 51 were dismissed for sexual offences or misconduct and 41 for discriminatory behaviour.
The College of Policing said overall there were 523 reasons recorded for the 394 dismissed officers, with several officers having committed numerous breaches.
The barred list, which is publicly searchable using an officer’s name, is used by police forces and some other public bodies to ensure someone who was dismissed can no longer work in policing. This includes individuals who decide to retire or resign during an investigation.
The largest proportion of these officers were police constables (342), followed by sergeants (36). The most senior rank where an officer appears on the list is chief superintendent (two).
Chief Superintendent Andy Walker, from the College of Policing, said: “We are committed to ensuring that there is no place in policing for those whose conduct falls well below the standards that are set.
“Public trust is essential and forces across the country are committed to rooting out officers and police staff who damage that trust.
“We have strengthened vetting; set high standards in recruitment; and continue to clamp down on unacceptable conduct so that the public can have confidence in the many hard-working, dedicated officers who come to work to keep them safe.”
Separately, there were 170 police staff and 34 officers from the Special Constabulary dismissed over the same period.