§ Lord Taylor of Warwickasked Her Majesty's Government:
Why the five allegedly racist police officers who were exposed in the BBC programme "The Secret Policeman" were allowed to resign, rather than being sacked. [HL5102]
§ Baroness Scotland of AsthalIt is for a chief officer to decide whether or not to accept the resignation of an officer who is suspended. All three forces concerned advise that, in all the circumstances, they felt the public interest was better served by accepting the immediate resignations of the officers concerned.
Under the police misconduct regulations, there is no means of instant dismissal for alleged gross misconduct, no matter how overwhelming the evidence. To pursue this route would have entailed the officers remaining suspended on full pay pending disciplinary procedures, which would have involved a formal investigation and a hearing before a misconduct board. This process, which would probably have taken some months to complete, also carries a statutory right to a review by the chief officer concerned and then an appeal to an independent police appeals tribunal.