Inappropriate relationship with victim of crime - Cumbria Constabulary, August 2021

We started an independent investigation into an officer's conduct after a referral from Cumbria Constabulary in August 2021.

We independently investigated the nature of the officer's contact with the woman, who he first met in 2017 when she reported being a victim of crime.

We found evidence the relationship between them developed in 2021, at which point the officer – who resigned during our investigation – visited the woman’s home a number of times while on duty. We could find no policing purpose for these visits.

We obtained witness statements and reviewed mobile phone data of the officer's communications.

Evidence showed he had abused his position for a sexual purpose by forming an inappropriate relationship with the woman.

In a statement, he told the investigator his on-duty visits to her home were during his rest breaks, however, radio location data showed several of these visits lasted significantly longer than the breaks he was entitled to. On one occasion he stayed for almost three hours.

We also found evidence he searched for information about the woman on police systems without a valid policing purpose. While he said he was trying to find her contact details in order to return a missing item, phone data showed he had contacted her 12 days earlier to ask her out for coffee.

Our investigation also found he failed to report his relationship with the woman to supervisors, as required by force policy, and after his supervisor had spotted his police vehicle near the woman’s address, he lied when asked where he was.

Our investigation concluded in July 2022. 

We determined the former officer had a case to answer for gross misconduct for potential breaches of the police standards of professional behaviour relating to: authority, respect and courtesy; duties and responsibilities; discreditable conduct; honesty and integrity; and confidentiality.

The force agreed and arranged a misconduct hearing, which concluded on 14 December. The independently-chaired panel found the allegations proven and that he would have been dismissed had he not already resigned.

The former officer has been added to the College of Policing barred list, ensuring he cannot be employed by a policing service.

We carefully considered whether there were any learning opportunities arising from the investigation. We make learning recommendations to improve policing and public confidence in the police complaints system, and prevent a recurrence of similar incidents. 

In this case, we did not identify any organisational learning.