The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is conducting a criminal investigation into a senior North Yorkshire Police (NYP) officer.
- IOPC received a conduct referral from NYP on 30 April 2024
- The referral related to information provided by the officer during a series of vetting procedures
- IOPC have stressed that they are allegations under investigation
The independent investigation began on 3 May and will look at:
- Whether the officer may have committed, or witnessed and failed to report, a criminal offence
- Whether the officer knowingly failed to disclose information during a number of vetting processes since that time
The officer has been notified that they under criminal investigation in relation to these matters, and served a notice informing them we are investigating potential gross misconduct relating to alleged breaches of the police standards of professional behaviour for: honesty and integrity; duties and responsibilities; and discreditable conduct.
The officer has been suspended from duty by NYP.
A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said:
We made a referral to the IOPC on 30 April 2024, and the officer has been suspended from duty. It would not be appropriate to comment further due to the IOPC’s ongoing investigation.
The North Yorkshire Police Senior Management team is now formed of:
- Chief Constable Tim Forber – appointed April 2024
- Deputy Chief Constable Scott Bisset – appointed April 2024
- Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Catherine Clarke – appointed December 2023
- Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Wayne Fox – appointed December 2023
- Assistant Chief Officer Lisa Stitt – appointed June 2023
IOPC Regional Director Catherine Bates said:
These are serious allegations and it is important that we carry out a thorough investigation to determine the facts. This will be carried out by the IOPC, entirely independently of the police.
However, I would stress that these remain allegations at this time and this does not necessarily mean that criminal charges or disciplinary proceedings will follow.
At the end of the investigation, we will decide whether to refer a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service for a charging decision, and also decide whether the officer should face disciplinary proceedings.
