In relation to alleged sexual offenses, 98 officers from the second-largest police force in England are either under investigation or will face hearings for misconduct. That represents 1.2% of the 8,000 personnel in the Greater Manchester Police (GMP).
After Metropolitan Police officer David Carrick recently admitted to raping nine women, all forces have been instructed to verify their staff. According to GMP, every complaint is “very carefully” considered and “objectively investigated.”
The number of 98 officers accused of sexual assault was described as “very, very worrying” by Kate Green, the recently appointed deputy mayor for policing in Greater Manchester.
The total comprised 16 police officers awaiting a hearing before a misconduct panel and 82 police officers who were under investigation, it was revealed at a police and crime panel meeting on Thursday.
Ms. Green said, “That just makes up a small portion of GMP, but we don’t want any police officers abusing their positions of authority. “I believe it is not distinct from the general population; we are aware of the persisting serious problems with misogyny and gender-based violence.
We cannot have everyone losing faith in our entire policing system if one cop is accountable for this type of behavior.
‘Fully assessed’
Five GMP officers were terminated for sexual offenses or misbehavior in 2021, while 12 were terminated in 2022, according to the force. The National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) requested that forces check personnel hired prior to the implementation of more stringent vetting in 2006 after Carrick entered a guilty plea.
According to Ms. Green, GMP is “completely committed to rooting out every single officer who is culpable for this kind of sexual assault” and will terminate their employment.
The force takes all claims against officers “very seriously,” according to Terry Woods, deputy chief constable of GMP.
“Where citizens think cops have acted improperly, I urge them to file a complaint and tell them that all complaints are ethically recorded, completely evaluated, and impartially investigated.”
