At least 211 UK serving police officers and police community support officers (PCSO) have criminal records for various crimes, including assault, burglary, drug possession and animal cruelty, the Sky News broadcaster revealed
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th July, 2020) At least 211 UK serving police officers and police community support officers (PCSO) have criminal records for various crimes, including assault, burglary, drug possession and animal cruelty, the Sky news broadcaster revealed.
The broadcaster said that it submitted freedom of information requests to the country's 45 territorial police forces, including British Transport Police and the Ministry of Defense Police. However, only 16 forces agreed to disclose employees' criminal records, the broadcaster said, suggesting that this indicates that the actual number of convictions is higher. Many of the territorial offices claimed that retrieving such information entails high costs. Notably, the Metropolitan Police, Police Scotland, Greater Manchester Police and Merseyside Police refused to provide the information.
The Sky News revealed that 99 serving officers of the Police Service of Northern Ireland had criminal convictions while being in office, including for death by careless driving, common assault, harassment and being drunk in charge of a firearm.
North Wales Police reported that 20 police officers and five PCSOs were found guilty in crimes involving assault, drug possession and cruelty to animals. Representatives of the Kent Police said that 22 serving officers had convictions for offenses including common assault, criminal damage and drink driving.
Meanwhile, the UK Home Office guidelines stipulate that the police should refrain from recruiting people with cautions or convictions, which may call into question the integrity of the applicant or the service," but at the same time state that "each case should be dealt with on its individual merits."
