No Place For Predators In Policing

Former PSNI officer and UUP leader Jon Burrows MLA argues that predatory officers who exploit vulnerable women betray policing, and that better vetting, supervision, and a refocused Police Ombudsman are needed to root them out.oI have often gone on television, radio and used social media to defend the honour and integrity of the Police Service of Northern Ireland against false and unfair allegations.

I will continue to do so. The overwhelming majority of police officers are decent, courageous public servants who routinely enter dangerous and traumatic situations to protect people they have never met.

But supporting the police cannot mean remaining silent about wrongdoing within policing. There are a small minority of predatory and corrupt officers who exploit the authority, access and trust attached to their uniform for their own sexual gratification. They are not merely letting their colleagues down. They are abusing vulnerable people and betraying the very purpose of policing.

The pattern is deeply disturbing. An male police officer encounters a woman who has reported domestic abuse, sexual assault, harassment or another traumatic experience. She may be frightened, isolated or emotionally distressed. The officer has access to personal information and understands her circumstances. Instead of focusing entirely on safeguarding her and investigating her allegation, the officer attempts to initiate an inappropriate personal or sexual relationship.

That is not a lapse of judgement. It is an abuse of power. 

The Police Ombudsman recently announced that, following an investigation, the PSNI had dismissed an officer who began initiating a sexual relationship within 24 hours of meeting a woman who was both accused of a crime and had alleged that she was a victim of crime.

I oversaw a case in which the follow up contact by a corrupt officer was within a few hours of leaving the house of a vulnerable female victim.

These cases should shock everyone. A woman seeking help from the police must never have to wonder whether the officer responding sees her as someone to be protected or someone to be exploited.

Women and girls who report sexual assault, harassment or domestic violence must know that the officer dealing with them will be focused exclusively on their safety, welfare and access to justice. Their vulnerability must never become an opportunity for someone wearing a uniform.

That is why the work of the Police Ombudsman must be properly focused. Its resources should be concentrated on the most serious allegations: corruption, predatory behaviour, abuse of authority, dishonesty and conduct presenting a genuine threat to public confidence or safety.

Too much capacity is currently consumed by large volumes of comparatively minor casework that could often be resolved more quickly and proportionately by local police supervisors. Reforming the Ombudsman is not about weakening accountability. It is about strengthening it where it matters most.

A reformed system would provide better protection from the small number of dangerous officers while treating the much larger number of decent officers more fairly. Serious allegations must be investigated relentlessly, but officers should not spend months or years under investigation over minor matters that could have been addressed promptly through effective local management.

We must also strengthen how the PSNI learns from every case involving predatory behaviour. Each case should be comprehensively debriefed. Were warning signs missed during the officer’s service? Had concerns previously been raised? Was there inappropriate use of police systems, repeated contact with vulnerable people or a pattern of boundary violations? Did colleagues or supervisors notice behaviour but fail to recognise its significance?

These reviews must be about institutional learning, not simply individual blame. Officers and supervisors need training to recognise grooming, manipulation, boundary violations and other warning signs. Technology exists to examine suspicious patterns in the use of police information systems or contact with vulnerable victims. AI offers opportunities to take this further.

Pre-joining vetting must also be reviewed. Was information available before recruitment that should have raised concerns? Were references and employment histories examined thoroughly enough? Did the recruitment process properly test an applicant’s attitudes towards women, authority, vulnerability and professional boundaries?

Following a national review following the conviction of a police officer for Sarah Everard ; police forces were recommended to reintroduce home visits as part of the vetting process. The PSNI have not followed that recommendation. They should do, asthese can provide a fuller picture of an applicant’s character and circumstances before they are entrusted with police powers. 

No system will identify every future offender. Predatory behaviour is often calculated and concealed. But that cannot become an excuse for failing to improve recruitment, vetting, supervision, auditing and accountability.

During my police service, I observed a small number of predatory officers. I also saw the professionalism and integrity of the overwhelming majority. It is precisely because I respect policing– and understand how much public trust matters– that I believe every possible resource must be directed towards identifying these individuals, removing them and preventing people like them from entering the service.

This is not solely a Northern Ireland problem. It is a national problem and, I suspect, a global one. Wherever police officers hold power and gain access to vulnerable people, there will be a risk that a small number will attempt to abuse that position.

Tackling violence against women and girls, sexual abuse and domestic violence requires a whole-system response. The police, prosecutors, courts, prisons, probation services and government must be relentlessly focused on identifying and stopping those who harm women and girls.

That effort must begin with ensuring that those entrusted to protect victims are worthy of their trust.

Predatory officers do not represent the PSNI. They betray it. They masquerade as public servants while abusing the powers entrusted to them.

There must be no hiding place for them in policing–and no hesitation in rooting them out.

Soapbox

This is a guest slot to give a platform for new writers either as a one off, or a prelude to becoming part of the regular Slugger team.