TWO police officers have been given written warnings but West Mercia Police doesn’t have to say why.
The two police constables faced misconduct meetings in June, with misconduct having been proved in both cases.
They were both handed a written warning, each last 18 months.
While West Mercia Police published the outcomes of these meetings, they did not provide the officers’ names or the nature of misconduct that they had been accused of.
Many misconduct outcomes and hearings are held in public but, in this case, the force doesn’t have to publicise details.
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Why doesn’t West Mercia Police have to tell us why?
Under the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020, a misconduct hearing must be in public.
However, regulations specify that a misconduct meeting must be in private.
According to the Police Federation, misconduct meetings deal with cases where the maximum outcome for alleged misconduct would be a final written warning.
Misconduct hearings are for cases of alleged gross misconduct or for officers who are accused of further misconduct while already subject to a final written warning. The maximum outcome for these cases would be dismissal from the police without notice.
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What has West Mercia Police said
The force has provided its own explanation after the recent misconduct outcomes were published.
“They are misconduct meetings, not hearings,” a West Mercia Police spokesperson said.
“Meetings are held in private and therefore the details of the officer and nature of the meeting are not of public record.
“It is only with hearings that there is a requirement to publish additional details, unless there is an anonymity order.”
