Number of sexual misconduct complaints made against South Yorkshire Police officers revealed
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A total of one sexual misconduct complaint case was recorded by South Yorkshire Police in the year ending March 2022 which was formally investigated, and related to an allegation of ‘abuse of position for a sexual purpose,’ The Star can reveal. The information has been obtained from the police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) through a Freedom of Information request. A complaint case can involve more than one allegation.
The obtained figures from the IOPC showing the number of complaints against police of sexual assault, sexual harassment, abuse of position for a sexual purpose or other sexual conduct which were closed in the year ending March 2022, and how each was dealt with.
Superintendent Delphine Waring, head of Professional Standards at South Yorkshire Police, said: “We know members of the public want to feel safe and we are and will take swift action against any officers who are falling below the high standards expected in policing.
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Hide Ad“We take reported complaints incredibly seriously and would encourage anyone who is concerned about the behaviour of a police officer to come forward and report it. When a reported complaint meets the mandatory referral criteria, it will be referred to the IOPC.
“Whether the person reporting is a member of the public or an SYP officer or staff member, they will be listened to, taken seriously and provided appropriate support from the force and partners agencies.”
It comes as former Metropolitan police officer Wayne Couzens was sentenced to 19 months’ custody on March 6, 2023 for flashing women in the months before he kidnapped, raped and murdered Sarah Everard, crimes for which he received a whole life prison sentence during a sentencing hearing held last year.
In the year to March 2022, police forces across England and Wales dealt with 270 complaints from the public alleging sexual misconduct by staff or officers, analysis of data published by the IOPC, shows.
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Hide AdDuring the same period, thirteen complaints of sexual misconduct by Metropolitan Police personnel were closed without being formally investigated last year. The figure - the highest of any force in England and Wales - includes seven allegations of sexual assault.
The IOPC regards Nottinghamshire Police and West Yorkshire Police as being of a similar size to South Yorkshire Police. During the same period, a total of six sexual misconduct allegations were made to Nottinghamshire Police, involving four sexual assault complaints, and two of other sexual conduct. Five of the six complaints were formally investigated, the figures show.
A total of nine sexual misconduct complaints were made to West Yorkshire Police in the year ending March 2022, with seven relating to allegations of sexual assault, one categorised as abuse of position for sexual purpose and one of other sexual conduct. Of the nine sexual misconduct complaints made, just two were formally investigated.
IOPC figures have been sought for all police forces in England and Wales, the results of which have led to concerns over the variation in how complaints are handled. At some police forces, all allegations of sexual misconduct were formally investigated, at others none were.
A spokesperson for the IOPC said: “The vast majority of the 120,000 allegations overall received each year are dealt with by forces themselves and are only referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) if they meet criteria set out in law. We have a statutory duty of oversight of the complaints system and set the standards for police recording of complaints. Police forces are responsible for ensuring complaints are recorded and handled appropriately in line with guidance, with local oversight also provided by Police and Crime Commissioners.”
Andrea Simin, director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, said the investigation showed that the ‘lack of meaningful consequences for police officers is clear’.
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Hide AdShe said: “The data also shows a huge amount of inconsistency across forces, underlining the need for strong leadership in efforts to transform how the police respond to perpetrators within their ranks and the cultures of misogyny that enable them.”