New rules to sack police officers who commit gross misconduct

Officers who commit gross misconduct will be sacked under new rules aimed to drive up standards in policing.

Under plans introduced to Parliament on Wednesday, it will set the expectation that officers will be fired if a case of the most serious behaviour is found against them, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Latest Home Office figures for 2023/24 show 563 officers found to have committed gross misconduct were dismissed from forces.

But in a remaining 56 cases, officers remained in policing despite the most serious misconduct being proven.

‘Trust’

Policing minister Dame Diana Johnson said: “We place a huge amount of faith and trust in the police officers we see in our communities, and it is vital that only those fit to wear the uniform are serving the public.

“We cannot let the majority of officers, who are brave and committed to keeping us safe, be tarnished by the few who commit serious criminality or gross misconduct.

“They, and the public, deserve certainty that those who are unfit to serve will be dismissed.”

The fresh legislation, which comes into force from May 28, will also make serious criminal offences such as rape and grievous bodily harm automatically amount to gross misconduct under the law, in efforts to deal with cases more quickly.

The changes follow reforms announced last month that will also see police officers who fail background checks automatically sacked.

‘Red flags’

Victims’ Commissioner Baroness Newlove said of the latest move: “Today’s changes are a welcome and necessary step toward restoring public trust – and reaffirming the values policing must uphold. Too often and for far too long, red flags have been missed, minimised or ignored.”

Isabelle Younane, of Women’s Aid, also said it was “essential” for women to be able to trust reporting their experiences of abuse to police officers, and that they are not speaking to someone accused of misconduct relating to violence against women and girls themselves.

She added: “These reforms, alongside those announced previously, are positive first steps to improving women’s trust in the police.

“We continue to urge for further action to ensure that no individuals with the misogynistic attitudes and beliefs that underpin VAWG (violence against women and girls) are eligible to join.”