The research, by Dr Louise Westmarland, OU senior lecturer in Criminology, with Professor Mike Rowe of Northumbria University, has attracted widespread media coverage since it was presented at a Commons home affairs select committee conference on police leadership and standards yesterday (Monday),
The research finds that only 54 per cent of police officers would definitely report a colleague who punched a suspect as a punishment for trying to escape.
Two in five officers would not report a colleague who ran a private security firm as a second job, up to half would not report an officer who received gifts such as food and alcohol at Christmas, and up to two in five would not report a colleague who was given an unsolicited gift while on duty.
On average, officers considered punching a suspect as a punishment for fleeing and resisting arrest was less serious than: accepting free drinks at a bar instead of reporting it for being open after hours; accepting a free gift instead of issuing a summons to a speeding driver; or taking cash from a lost wallet before handing it in empty.
The research polled 520 officers across three forces.
She said the research findings show that a ‘blue wall of silence’ still exists in policing, with police 'unlikely to report officers even in cases they thought were serious'.
In a separate development, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe has announced that the Met plans to fund more academic research into effective policing. “Great professions like engineering and law have gained faculties in universities. Sadly, policing has not had that," he said.
Find out more
- 'Only half of officers would report colleague who punched suspect' Daily Telegraph
- Police 'unwilling to report colleagues' Scotsman
- Criminology at the OU
Top image:Thinkstock
