Number of police officers sacked in Norfolk triples

According to the latest data from the College of Policing, in the year to March 2024, 10 officers were dismissed compared to three in the previous year.

The figures reflect a national trend with nearly 600 officers losing their jobs last year, a 50pc rise on the year before.

Simon Megicks, deputy chief constable at Norfolk Constabulary, confirmed that between November 1, 2023 and November 1, 2024, the force held 11 gross misconduct hearings with nine officers being dismissed or would have been dismissed if they were still serving. 

"People who display the wrong behaviours have no place in policing and officers fully expect to be held accountable for their actions," he said.

“We take allegations of misconduct extremely seriously and have robust measures in place to identify and investigate.

"I expect the highest standards of behaviour, honesty and conduct from all those employed in the constabulary.

"The majority of officers and staff deliver a brilliant service daily however when these standards are not met, we will take appropriate action.”

Cases in Norfolk have included temporary detective sergeant Thomas Harvey who was sacked for sending explicit pictures and sexual comments to female colleagues and PC Matthew Roberts who was dismissed for having non-consensual sex with a woman who told him her drinks had been spiked. 

Nationally, dishonesty was cited as the most common reason for dismissal with sexual offences or misconduct the second most likely.

Assistant chief constable Tom Harding, director of operational standards at the College of Policing, said: “It is of course, hugely disappointing to see the conduct of several officers falling far below the standard that we set for policing and which the public rightly expects.

“However, these figures show that we have effective, robust procedures in place to identify and deal with these officers swiftly, and to prevent them from holding future roles within the police."