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| Kent police officers arrested over crime statistics 'irregularities' | Kent police officers arrested over crime statistics 'irregularities' |
| (10 days later) | |
| Five detectives are being questioned in an anti-corruption probe into the alleged manipulation of crime statistics to meet detection targets. | Five detectives are being questioned in an anti-corruption probe into the alleged manipulation of crime statistics to meet detection targets. |
| Kent police said on Thursday the officers – understood to be a detective inspector, detective sergeant and three detective constables – had been arrested "over allegations of administrative irregularities" relating to prisoners. | Kent police said on Thursday the officers – understood to be a detective inspector, detective sergeant and three detective constables – had been arrested "over allegations of administrative irregularities" relating to prisoners. |
| It is understood the inquiry – sparked by a whistleblower – is looking into the way officers might have persuaded prisoners to admit to undetected crimes known as TICs: offences taken into consideration. | It is understood the inquiry – sparked by a whistleblower – is looking into the way officers might have persuaded prisoners to admit to undetected crimes known as TICs: offences taken into consideration. |
| If a defendant admits the offences the TICs are marked as solved in detection statistics. The suspect receives credit for admitting the offences and is not prosecuted for them at a later date. | If a defendant admits the offences the TICs are marked as solved in detection statistics. The suspect receives credit for admitting the offences and is not prosecuted for them at a later date. |
| The revelations come as voters across the country go to the polls to elect the first police and crime commissioners across 41 forces in England and Wales on Thursday. | The revelations come as voters across the country go to the polls to elect the first police and crime commissioners across 41 forces in England and Wales on Thursday. |
| The quality of crime detection statistics was questioned recently in an investigation by BBC Radio 4's Law in Action, which revealed that the practice of asking prisoners to admit TICs accounted for 69,000 offences in 2010. The figures – obtained under the Freedom of Information Act – showed that TICs accounted for 35% of domestic burglaries. | The quality of crime detection statistics was questioned recently in an investigation by BBC Radio 4's Law in Action, which revealed that the practice of asking prisoners to admit TICs accounted for 69,000 offences in 2010. The figures – obtained under the Freedom of Information Act – showed that TICs accounted for 35% of domestic burglaries. |
| Police federations have been warning for some time of the pressure on officers to meet performance targets imposed from above by their force. | Police federations have been warning for some time of the pressure on officers to meet performance targets imposed from above by their force. |
| Ian Pointon, chair of the Kent police federation, said officers were under enormous pressure to meet detection rate targets. | Ian Pointon, chair of the Kent police federation, said officers were under enormous pressure to meet detection rate targets. |
| "Kent police has a performance culture that focuses too keenly on ticks in boxes," he said. "Targets are set for individuals, teams and the force as a whole. Officers feel under enormous pressure to reach those targets, particularly in relation to the rate of detected crime and crime reduction. | "Kent police has a performance culture that focuses too keenly on ticks in boxes," he said. "Targets are set for individuals, teams and the force as a whole. Officers feel under enormous pressure to reach those targets, particularly in relation to the rate of detected crime and crime reduction. |
| "That pressure is all-pervading. Officers know that failure to reach those targets can have a detrimental effect on them personally. | "That pressure is all-pervading. Officers know that failure to reach those targets can have a detrimental effect on them personally. |
| "Since 2006 we have highlighted the negative impact of this pressurised performance culture, a culture that is more about quantity than quality. Sadly our legitimate concerns have all too often fallen on deaf ears," he said. | "Since 2006 we have highlighted the negative impact of this pressurised performance culture, a culture that is more about quantity than quality. Sadly our legitimate concerns have all too often fallen on deaf ears," he said. |
| The Kent officers have been released on police bail while the investigation continues. A spokesman for the Kent force said: "Five people arrested in Maidstone on Monday over allegations of administrative irregularities in the way prisoners had been dealt with have been released on police bail." | The Kent officers have been released on police bail while the investigation continues. A spokesman for the Kent force said: "Five people arrested in Maidstone on Monday over allegations of administrative irregularities in the way prisoners had been dealt with have been released on police bail." |
| The detectives are understood to work in a unit dealing with persistent offenders in Maidstone. The town had the highest detection rate in the county in January last year – 39.4%, which was 4.5% higher than the average across the force, according to documents presented to the force's performance management committee. | The detectives are understood to work in a unit dealing with persistent offenders in Maidstone. The town had the highest detection rate in the county in January last year – 39.4%, which was 4.5% higher than the average across the force, according to documents presented to the force's performance management committee. |
| Their arrest comes after a case in Wales this year in which two detectives were disciplined after a 17-year-old boy was plied with cider before being questioned about a series of burglaries they wanted him to accept as TICs. | Their arrest comes after a case in Wales this year in which two detectives were disciplined after a 17-year-old boy was plied with cider before being questioned about a series of burglaries they wanted him to accept as TICs. |
| The teenager, Sean Wall, was being held at a young offender institution in Bridgend awaiting sentence on other matters. His solicitor said he was picked up at 9am, driven around Cardiff and given two bottles of "strong cider" as the officers pointed out locations where burglaries had been carried out. | The teenager, Sean Wall, was being held at a young offender institution in Bridgend awaiting sentence on other matters. His solicitor said he was picked up at 9am, driven around Cardiff and given two bottles of "strong cider" as the officers pointed out locations where burglaries had been carried out. |
| They then took Wall to Cardiff Bay police station and allegedly encouraged him to confess to the raids, telling him that admitting the crimes would not increase his sentence when he appeared before a crown court judge. | They then took Wall to Cardiff Bay police station and allegedly encouraged him to confess to the raids, telling him that admitting the crimes would not increase his sentence when he appeared before a crown court judge. |
| The two detective constables faced a South Wales police gross misconduct hearing last week over four potential breaches of professional behaviour, two of which were proven. The panel decided that one officer should receive a final written warning and a written warning, and the other officer two written warnings. | The two detective constables faced a South Wales police gross misconduct hearing last week over four potential breaches of professional behaviour, two of which were proven. The panel decided that one officer should receive a final written warning and a written warning, and the other officer two written warnings. |
| Both officers admitted Wall had consumed alcohol in their company. | Both officers admitted Wall had consumed alcohol in their company. |
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