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Police 'fear bully accusations'


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Police 'fear bully accusations'

 

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One sergeant spoke of the prevalence of a 'culture of counter-bullying'

 

Police sergeants are afraid to challenge scruffy constables because they fear being accused of bullying, an official report suggests.

 

The Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) report also discloses that nearly half a frontline sergeant's time is spent on paperwork.

 

The HMIC suggests sergeants in England and Wales are issued with a set of standards to improve effectiveness.

 

Police Minister Tony McNulty said the report "raised important issues."

 

No fibre

 

In the report, which consists of a survey and interviews with 4,800 police officers, one chief superintendent is quoted as saying that there is "no enforcement" of the police dress code.

 

He said: "The sergeants do not have the necessary fibre to challenge the constables.

 

 

We will look hard at the recommendations and I welcome their broad thrust

Police Minister Tony McNulty

 

"This is due to the culture of counter-bullying, where constables who are challenged take a grievance out against the sergeant who challenged them, stating they have been bullied in the workplace."

 

One sergeant complained: "I am fed up with the amount of times I have to justify myself to PCs when I've given them a lawful order."

 

Dangerous dog

 

HMIC inspectors say they witnessed a number of incidents which led them to express concern about the "conduct and professionalism" of police officers.

 

These included a newly-qualified constable who initially refused to go to the scene of a dangerous dog loose in a garden because he was "not going to put himself in danger".

 

Another sergeant admitted after a shift briefing that officers had not used an electronic intelligence because they "didn't like using the computer" and preferred to keep a book instead.

 

The report, commissioned last year by the Chief Inspector of Constabulary Sir Ronnie Flanagan, also found that 45% of a sergeant's time was spent on paperwork - 31% on general administration and 14% on management and human resources.

 

This is despite government promises to cut the amount of time frontline police officers spend filling in forms.

 

'Urgent need'

 

The report says there is an "urgent need" to re-examine processes for preparing frontline sergeants for their roles, and for the significant responsibility they carry.

 

It calls for a review of leadership skills and recommends that the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) and the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) should develop a set of national standards for the role of frontline sergeant.

 

Mr McNulty said of the report: "We will look hard at the recommendations and I welcome their broad thrust.

 

"The hard work and commitment shown every day by the police service's sergeants is key to the delivery of frontline police services to the public."

 

He said the government would soon publish proposals in a Green Paper on policing which would show "how we will ensure that leadership on all levels can effectively support standard setting for the frontline".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7486619.stm

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You really don't like them do you?

 

I never said a word.

 

 

 

It was just an experiment to see if the obsessives would come.

 

Experiment successful, I think. :rolleyes:

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:rolleyes:

 

Aye right.

 

This is an internet message board with regular posters. Of course the same people are going to read and respond in most threads.

Edited by The Fish
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You really don't like them do you?

 

I never said a word.

 

 

 

It was just an experiment to see if the obsessives would come.

 

Experiment successful, I think. :wub:

Pssht. If I posted a story about two gay dwarves getting it on in the bushes without any comment on my part, I'd still expect SMO and Wacky to turn up within seconds. That's no achievement. :rolleyes:

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