Sixteen Lancashire Constabulary officers barred from service

A total of 16 coppers were banned from the service <i>(Image: Nick Ansell)</i>
A total of 16 coppers were banned from the service (Image: Nick Ansell)
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A total of 16 police officers were sacked or barred from returning to the service last year.

According to the College of Policing, a total of 735 officers were placed on the barred list in the year to March, up from 593 the previous year, and an increase of 24 per cent.

Lancashire Constabulary followed the national trend, with the figure rising from 14 the year before, an increase of 13.3 per cent.

However, the number is significantly higher than figures from 2021/22 when just four officers faced disciplinary action.

The most common reasons given for dismissal nationally were dishonesty (126), discriminatory behaviour (95), unlawful access or disclosure of information (82), inappropriate communications (81), and sexual offences or misconduct (72).

Other cases involved abuse of position for a sexual purpose (31), child sexual offence (21), being in a discriminatory WhatsApp group (45), domestic abuse or harassment (26), and drugs (44).

Assistant Chief Constable Tom Harding, director of operational standards at the College of Policing, said: “These figures show a determined and robust effort from police forces to rid policing of officers whose behaviour falls below the high standards that we, and the public, expect from them.

“It goes without saying that any time an officer’s behaviour breaches professional standards, or even strays into criminality, it leaves a permanent stain on the reputation of policing.

“But the public can have confidence that their police forces are quickly identifying and dealing with unacceptable behaviour from officers and staff, who, through being on the barred list, will never work in policing again.

“The message is clear: our policing system is built on upholding our code of ethics, on courage, respect and empathy and public service, and there is no place in our police service for anyone whose behaviour goes against these values.”

READ MORE: Lancs copper barred for indecent child images and alleged false imprisonment

READ MORE: Former Rossendale officer barred over alleged sexual assault of colleague

In East Lancashire, Sheraz Fatima-Ali, who worked in Burnley, faced a misconduct hearing regarding the alleged making of indecent images of children, harassment and false imprisonment.

Additionally, former neighbourhood police officer PC Daniel Stoddard was sacked after he was accused of stimulating a sexual act on a colleague and sexually assaulting him.

Elsewhere, PC Gerrard was caught drink driving and resigned before Lancashire Constabulary could sack her.

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