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| Figures expose police convictions | Figures expose police convictions |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| More than 1,000 serving police officers in Britain have criminal convictions, the Liberal Democrats have reported. | More than 1,000 serving police officers in Britain have criminal convictions, the Liberal Democrats have reported. |
| More than half of the 1,063 convictions relate to speeding or other motoring offences; 77 officers have convictions for violence and 96 for dishonesty. | More than half of the 1,063 convictions relate to speeding or other motoring offences; 77 officers have convictions for violence and 96 for dishonesty. |
| The Liberal Democrats, who obtained information from 41 forces, called the figures "staggering". | The Liberal Democrats, who obtained information from 41 forces, called the figures "staggering". |
| But the Police Federation denounced the publication of the figures as a "petty attempt to discredit". | |
| Paul McKeever, chairman of the federation which represents rank-and-file officers in England and Wales, said it was "baffling" that the Lib Dems "could be so keen to conduct this type of headline-grabbing exposé. | Paul McKeever, chairman of the federation which represents rank-and-file officers in England and Wales, said it was "baffling" that the Lib Dems "could be so keen to conduct this type of headline-grabbing exposé. |
| "Not only do these figures serve to undermine confidence in policing by failing to appreciate the nature of these convictions but effectively ignore the thousands of successes achieved by the police each day," he went on. | "Not only do these figures serve to undermine confidence in policing by failing to appreciate the nature of these convictions but effectively ignore the thousands of successes achieved by the police each day," he went on. |
| "Are the Liberal Democrats effectively suggesting that a person caught and already punished for a minor offence should then be rejected from the police?" | "Are the Liberal Democrats effectively suggesting that a person caught and already punished for a minor offence should then be rejected from the police?" |
| The figures cover only those forces in England, Scotland and Wales which responded. The Police Service of Northern Ireland refused to answer the Lib Dems' request for information. | The figures cover only those forces in England, Scotland and Wales which responded. The Police Service of Northern Ireland refused to answer the Lib Dems' request for information. |
| The most recent figures put the number of serving officers in the 51 territorial forces in England, Scotland and Wales at 159,359. This figure does not include the British Transport Police, Ministry of Defence Police and Civil Nuclear Constabulary - which were not covered by the Lib Dems' survey. | The most recent figures put the number of serving officers in the 51 territorial forces in England, Scotland and Wales at 159,359. This figure does not include the British Transport Police, Ministry of Defence Police and Civil Nuclear Constabulary - which were not covered by the Lib Dems' survey. |
| More details of survey | More details of survey |
| Serving officers who are convicted do not face automatic dismissal, but the Association of Chief Police Officers said it was "very rare" for people with convictions to be recruited by the police. | Serving officers who are convicted do not face automatic dismissal, but the Association of Chief Police Officers said it was "very rare" for people with convictions to be recruited by the police. |
| Each case was assessed on its merits, said Acpo. | Each case was assessed on its merits, said Acpo. |
| "Where a minor offence is committed, it needs to be laid against the years of dedicated service by the officer to determine if it is more damaging to the community if an officer is not allowed to continue to serve," said Peter Fahy, Acpo's lead on workforce development. | "Where a minor offence is committed, it needs to be laid against the years of dedicated service by the officer to determine if it is more damaging to the community if an officer is not allowed to continue to serve," said Peter Fahy, Acpo's lead on workforce development. |
| "The force concerned will then take action depending on a range of factors including the severity of the offence and its impact on an officer's ability to carry out their duties," said Mr Fahy, who is Chief Constable of Greater Manchester. | "The force concerned will then take action depending on a range of factors including the severity of the offence and its impact on an officer's ability to carry out their duties," said Mr Fahy, who is Chief Constable of Greater Manchester. |
| The number of serving officers with convictions recorded in the data includes five who were sacked but then reinstated by the Home Office. | The number of serving officers with convictions recorded in the data includes five who were sacked but then reinstated by the Home Office. |
| Keep jobs | Keep jobs |
| The figures also show that forces serving Durham, Surrey, Dorset, Greater Manchester, Lothian and Borders, and Grampian had a total of 132 serving officers with convictions, but none was dismissed. | The figures also show that forces serving Durham, Surrey, Dorset, Greater Manchester, Lothian and Borders, and Grampian had a total of 132 serving officers with convictions, but none was dismissed. |
| Offences included a serious assault in Durham, four incidents of drug possession in Surrey and two incidents of misconduct in office in Manchester. | Offences included a serious assault in Durham, four incidents of drug possession in Surrey and two incidents of misconduct in office in Manchester. |
| The total figure for Britain, which does not include cautions, is likely to be higher because some forces did not provide full details and 10 gave no information at all, said BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw. | The total figure for Britain, which does not include cautions, is likely to be higher because some forces did not provide full details and 10 gave no information at all, said BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw. |
| Chris Huhne: A few bad apples shouldn't be allowed to bring the force into disrepute | Chris Huhne: A few bad apples shouldn't be allowed to bring the force into disrepute |
| The figures showed 210 officers had been dismissed or required to resign in the past five years as a result of criminal convictions. | The figures showed 210 officers had been dismissed or required to resign in the past five years as a result of criminal convictions. |
| Of those with convictions for violent offences such as assault, battery and wounding, 77 had kept their jobs, and 45 had been dismissed in the last five years. | Of those with convictions for violent offences such as assault, battery and wounding, 77 had kept their jobs, and 45 had been dismissed in the last five years. |
| There are 96 serving police officers with convictions for offences of dishonesty, including theft, perverting the course of justice, fraud and forgery. | There are 96 serving police officers with convictions for offences of dishonesty, including theft, perverting the course of justice, fraud and forgery. |
| 'Bad apples' | 'Bad apples' |
| Liberal Democrat spokesman Chris Huhne said it was "worrying" that so many police officers with serious convictions had been allowed to keep their jobs. | Liberal Democrat spokesman Chris Huhne said it was "worrying" that so many police officers with serious convictions had been allowed to keep their jobs. |
| "It is staggering that so many of the people entrusted to protect us from crime have criminal convictions themselves," he said. | "It is staggering that so many of the people entrusted to protect us from crime have criminal convictions themselves," he said. |
| "The public entrust the police with the use of legal force precisely because they are self-disciplined and restrained, which is why anyone convicted of a violent offence should be dismissed." | "The public entrust the police with the use of legal force precisely because they are self-disciplined and restrained, which is why anyone convicted of a violent offence should be dismissed." |
| He added that those convicted of dishonesty could not perform their duties effectively, as they could not be relied upon as a witness. | He added that those convicted of dishonesty could not perform their duties effectively, as they could not be relied upon as a witness. |
| "Police forces should get tough on bad apples," he added. | "Police forces should get tough on bad apples," he added. |
| Are you a police officer with a past conviction? Do you work with an officer who has a criminal conviction? Should officers be allowed to continue serving? Are you affected by the issues in this story? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. | Are you a police officer with a past conviction? Do you work with an officer who has a criminal conviction? Should officers be allowed to continue serving? Are you affected by the issues in this story? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. |
| In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. | In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. |