Police sackings hit record high

A significant rise in police officer dismissals in England and Wales has been reported, with figures showing a 50% increase from 394 to a record high of 593 in the year ending March 31. The Metropolitan Police removed 123 officers, while Greater Manchester police dismissed 36 and West Yorkshire police sacked 30. Dishonesty was the most common reason for dismissal, accounting for 20% of cases, while 18 officers were sacked for involvement in discriminatory WhatsApp groups. In addition to the police officers, 30 special constables were dismissed. Tom Harding, assistant chief constable and director of operational standards at the College of Policing, said: “These figures show that there is nowhere to hide for people who fail to meet the high standards set across our police forces,” while Craig Guildford, the chief constable of the West Midlands and the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for complaints and misconduct, said: “We are resolute in our commitment to rid policing of those not fit to serve the public and this latest update on the number of individuals barred from the service underlines this.”