HMICFRS finds that forces need to speed up plans to address abuses of position

National Police Chiefs' Council Lead for Counter-corruption, Chief Constable Stephen Watson said:

“There is no place in the service for people who would abuse their position as police officers for a sexual purpose, and we have developed a strong national strategy to help forces prevent, identify, and root out any officers who betray their duty in this manner.

“Today’s report by HMICFRS shows that three quarters of police forces have detailed plans in place to act on the national recommendations, and more than half of those have shown real progress implementing their plans. However, there is clearly more work to do to drive forward the pace of reform and improve the consistency of approach. We will study the HMICFRS findings closely to ensure that we maintain the established momentum and provide continuing advice and support to forces’ in their efforts to tackle this form of serious corruption.

“There is no ‘quick fix’ to address serious abuses of position by police officers – forces need to build practices to spot early signs, implement confidential and accessible reporting practices, ensure all officers are acutely aware of professional boundaries, and take swift action to address any breaches of trust.”