In a report due to be discussed by the South Wales Police & Crime Panel this week the Chief Constable, Jeremy Vaughan, has sought to reassure members over how South Wales Police maintain standards of behaviour (pdf).
It comes after a recent high-profile investigation by The Sunday Times revealed a sexist, homophobic and racist culture amongst some police officers in neighbouring Gwent Police.
While stating that the “vast majority of officers and staff at South Wales Police conduct themselves impeccably and tirelessly to protect the public”, the Chief Constable adds:
“As Chief Constable of South Wales Police, I have made it clear that I will not tolerate inappropriate behaviour. There is no place in the police service for misogyny, racism, or any other form of discriminatory behaviour. The public must be able to trust police officers and staff. Since I became Chief Constable, a number of individuals have been dismissed for abusing their powers or position.”
– Chief Constable, Jeremy Vaughan
Some of the measures and policies said to be in place at South Wales Police include:
- Targeted monitoring of individuals when intelligence suggests a high risk of sexual misconduct.
- Encouraging victims of sexual harassment in the workplace to come forward and operating a confidential internal anti-corruption hotline managed by Crimestoppers.
- Contacting recent force leavers to ask why they decided to leave to help identify workforce problems.
- Communicating all misconduct hearing decisions to staff setting out expected standards of behaviour.
- All police IT systems are monitored, including mobile phones, laptops and desktops (recognised as “good practice”). This doesn’t include personal phones but the force has “actively pursued misconduct or criminal proceedings” when inappropriate content has been found.
A recent review by the Inspectorate of Constabulary concluded that South Wales Police “demonstrates clear leadership on ethical issues and that staff would feel confident and supported if they needed to challenge or report inappropriate behaviour.”
However, the claims made in the report will likely be contested. South Wales Police has faced accusations of excessive force by officers, suspicions around the use of facial ID cameras and stop-and-search powers, and at least one protest over deaths in custody.
