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| NEWS > 03 January 2007 |
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Macclesfield Express - Maccles
03 January 2007
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Dishonest officers sacked
TWO DETECTIVES have been booted out of the police force in disgrace after being found guilty of stealing confiscated cash following a 39-day police disciplinary hearing – and a £1m investigation that lasted three years.
A third – a sergeant with 20 years’ experience – who allowed a prisoner to admit to an offence he could not have committed in order to massage detection figures has kept his job but was busted down to the ranks after he was proved to have failed to act with honesty and integrity. He is currently said to be on sick leave and his health is under review.
All three unnamed officers – who were suspended on full pay for three years pending a probe by the Independent Police Complaints Commission into multiple allegations of corruption – were also found guilty of misusing the force’s email system.
As the news emerged that all three undercover anti-burglary squad officers – two of whom were dismissed on the spot – had been found guilty of a range of charges relating to honesty and integrity, Cheshire Police called for a change in the law.
They admitted the length of the 41-month inquiry which began in August 2003 was unacceptable – an investigation that has cost ratepayers more than £1m in salaries, legal fees and other expenses.
A spokeswoman said: "The constabulary was bound to work within the current legal processes governing the investigation of complaints made against officers.
"The police service as a whole has expressed its dissatisfaction with this process and lobbied government to bring changes to make the investigation of these matters more efficient, particularly in relation to the speed of the process.
"As a result of this lobbying and following the Taylor Review, the processes will change next year in a way which we anticipate will ease our concerns and frustrations with the current systems."
At the hearing at Cheshire police headquarters in Winsford – at one of the largest internal inquiries ever held in the county – the three officers, one police constable, one detective constable and a detective sergeant faced 39 misconduct charges out of 43 complaints investigated.
The case was heard by a panel made up of an acting deputy chief constable, a detective chief superintendent and a superintendent.
The constables denied stealing confiscated cash, and the sergeant denied allowing a prisoner to admit to a crime he could not have committed in order to improve detection rates.
The cases were found proved. Afterwards Macclesfield MP Sir Nicholas Winterton condemned the length and cost of the investigation.
Although criminal charges had not been considered up until the hearing, the panel has now decided to inform the Crown Prosecution Service of their findings.
Two constables of eight and 18 years’ service, were found guilty "on a very high level of probability" of stealing money that had been seized.
The junior officer denied three misconduct charges relating to failing to act with honesty and integrity; acting in a manner likely to bring discredit on the reputation of the police service, and misusing the force’s email system. The cases were found proved. He admitted one charge of not following appropriate procedures.
The longer serving constable denied four misconduct charges, relating to three counts of failing to act with honesty and integrity, and one of misusing the force information management system. The cases were also found proved.
The sergeant, promoted in 1999, denied two charges of misconduct relating to failing to act with honesty and integrity, and failing to be conscientious and diligent in carrying out his duties and the cases were found proved. He admitted two charges of failing to be diligent and one of misuse of the force’s email system.
The three men have the right to appeal.
A fourth officer, investigated alongside the three men, quit the force more than a year ago.
The Macclesfield Express has regularly reported on the long-running investigation, conducted under the Police (Conduct) Regulations 1999, over the past three years. Although the 1999 regulations are no longer in use, there is an obligation to complete investigations under the rules in force at the beginning of the process.
In September 2006, the third anniversary since the 2003 complaint that led to the inquiry, the Express and Macclesfield MP Sir Nicholas Winterton called on the police to provide full costings of the investigation when completed.
This week Cheshire Police confirmed our estimate of about £1million was: "a fair general estimate".
Sir Nicholas Winterton and the police federation, the constabulary’s union, have raised concerns about the strain the 41 month ordeal had put on the men and their families Speaking after the verdicts were announced Sir Nicholas said: "I deeply regret the pressure which these officers have been living under for the last three years.
"For me there are two issues; the length of time this has taken and the cost of the process to the taxpayer."
He pledged to try to establish the precise cost of the entire issue.
A Cheshire Police spokeswoman said: "It is important to highlight that the behaviour of these officers does not reflect the integrity and professionalism of the police officers and police staff who serve with the Cheshire Constabulary.
"We have expectations of the highest standards of behaviour from all our staff, and when allegations are made that individuals have fallen short of those high standards the public would expect that they are investigated properly and thoroughly."
Independent Police Complaints Commission commissioner Mike Franklin said: "It has been an incredibly complex and difficult investigation, with a huge amount of evidence to be looked at.
"These men abused their position of authority. Their behaviour was totally unacceptable and undermined the good work of their colleagues in Cheshire Constabulary."
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