Today the Crime and Policing Bill will be introduced in Parliament. Responding, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales, Dame Nicole Jacobs, said: “I’m pleased to see the Crime and Policing Bill being introduced today with an emphasis on tackling violence against women and girls and providing greater protection to victims of stalking. It is however concerning to see no measures included that will root out police perpetrators of domestic abuse which is incredibly damaging for victims and undermines public confidence in policing, something the government has said it’s keen to address.
“At the moment if a police officer is accused of domestic abuse, it’s unlikely they will face serious consequences. Last year only 4% of individuals accused of domestic abuse were dismissed from the force. This is unacceptable.
“Victims and the public need to feel safe in the knowledge that perpetrators will be swiftly dismissed. The government must take the opportunity to change the law so that any officer who poses a danger to the public can be removed from the force. This includes introducing a statutory requirement to hold adequate vetting, including re-vetting officers when they transfer between forces, and ensuring police chiefs have the power to dismiss those who fail it.
“Survivors must be sent a clear message that the police force is determined to root out abusers.”