Law-breaking Norfolk police officers to be hunted down - PCC

A chief constable is "hunting" for officers who have broken the law or committed misconduct, according to a police and crime commissioner (PCC).

Giles Orpen-Smellie admitted that some of Norfolk's police officers "do get it wrong".

Chief Constable Paul Sanford said his force would be "moving them out".

It follows wider concerns about public confidence in the officers, particularly following cases involving Metropolitan Police officers.

Last month, Met officer David Carrick admitted dozens of rape and sexual offences against 12 women.

Conservative PCC, Mr Orpen-Smellie, said officers like Carrick "tarnish the reputation" of police everywhere.

"It goes to the culture of the police force.

"There has been a historic problem across all police forces of a locker room culture which reflects that wider societal piece of misogyny and the point is, we've got to change that culture," he said.

"The chief constable is being very robust with his officers."

He added: "He is going hunting for those officers that don't live up to the high standards, not just [that] Norfolk's Constabulary expects, but Norfolk's public expects of its police force."

Norfolk Police employs about 3,300 people including officers, special constables and staff.

Figures show in the first six months of last year its professional standards department completed 17 misconduct investigations.

Three officers resigned following the inquiries.

Mr Sanford said his tolerance for people who don't uphold the standards he expected was "incredibly low".

"These are the minority and we're moving them out," he said.

"But, let's be clear, the vast majority of people I work with are good, decent, people who just want to make their communities safer."

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