Almost 40 police officers sacked in a year - annual report reveals
An increased number of “unsuitable” West Midlands Police officers were sacked in last year.
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The region’s Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster presented his annual report at a West Midlands Police And Crime Panel this week which revealed 39 officers were dismissed in 2024 – an increase of 14 on the previous year.
Bosses said that while sacking police officers was “challenging”, there was determination to root out those deemed “unsuitable” for the job.
The report also showed there had been a five per cent increase in the number of complaints made by the public, although this was attributed to changes in the process which makes it easier to lodge concerns.
Alethea Fuller, deputy chief executive at the office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “With the arrival of the new chief constable, there is a renewed focus on misconduct because the chief leads on professional standards.
“In 2024, 39 officers were dismissed compared to 25 in 2023. While dismissals are challenging, we’re determined to remove unsuitable officers. Police appeal tribunal cases have risen from two in 2023 to six in 2024.”
She added: “Police complaints have risen by five per cent. We’ve received 4,175 in 2024.
“We know the increase is due to changes in the complaints process and made it easier for the public to raise concerns.
“The increase in volume has extended complete resolution times, from 89.8 days to 149.8 working days. This has remained a focus
“Our complaints review process is now fully embedded and in the past year, we’ve managed 104 reviews with an average of 26 days to complete them.
“Our team works and gets those reviews done in quick time for the public. We’ve upheld 20 of those reviews which is an increase of eight from last year.”
Mr Foster told the panel: “I take the trust and responsibility placed in me very seriously.
“It drives me on to take the constant and unremitting action that’s required to ensure West Midlands Police is the best it can possibly be in order to prevent and tackle crime, promote community safety and to keep people safe and secure.”
