Refuge responds to new rule to sack officers found guilty of gross misconduct

Responding to today’s announcement that officers found guilty of gross misconduct will be sacked, Ellie Butt, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at Refuge, said:

“Trust and confidence in policing is at an all-time low after a series of high-profile cases of police-perpetrated abuse and violence. While the Policing Minister’s move to sack officers found guilty of gross misconduct is a welcome step in the right direction, it is only a starting point. To get to the root of the problem, there must be a fundamental reform of policing culture and a comprehensive transformation in how the police respond to violence against women and girls (VAWG).

“The presumption of dismissal for police officers proven guilty of gross misconduct is a positive development, but in reality, this rule change will only affect outcomes in a small number of cases. Refuge’s ‘Remove the Rot’ campaign exposed the shocking magnitude of police forces’ failures to tackle misogyny and police-perpetrated VAWG, and yet, it is still relatively uncommon for officers to be found guilty of gross misconduct.

“To continue restoring women’s trust in the police, Refuge is calling on the Government to implement a presumption suspension for officers accused of violence against women and girls whilst under investigation, coupled with strengthening vetting procedures and specialist domestic abuse training for all officers without further delay.”