50 signatures reached
To: Government
No police retirement to avoid misconduct hearings
Uphold the 2015 commitment that police officers will be prevented from retiring or resigning to avoid dismissal.
Bring the officers who did not respond to reports of Lost Prophets frontman Ian Watkins' intention to sexually abuse babies to gross misconduct proceedings.
Consider legislation to render collusion with criminals a criminal offence in itself.
Why is this important?
Three South Yorkshire police officers would have faced gross misconduct cases but had since retired after 30 years’ service.
In January 2015, the Government promised that new regulations would prevent police officers retiring or resigning to avoid dismissal.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-regulations-prevent-police-officers-retiring-or-resigning-to-avoid-dismissal
This was in response to public pressure after the public were told that no police officers can be disciplined over complaints relating to the Hillsborough disaster. They had been allowed to retire out of accountability.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/jan/13/hillsborough-police-officers-cant-be-disciplined-as-all-have-retired
Yet in August 2017, the Independent Police Complaints Comission said that South Yorkshire Police inaction over Ian Watkins left a child at risk of further sexual abuse for several months. (https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/aug/18/ipcc-police-ian-watkins-child-risk-abuse-south-yorkshire)
I would like to invite fellow citizens to insist that the commitment of 2015 is upheld. Police officers and MPs work for us, the people. They are entrusted with great power, and with it comes responsibility. It is simply not acceptable that the Government breaks the promise of 2015 and enables a culture of incompetence and collusion with criminals to continue.
