David Tippetts, Pc Emma Fisher : “Police Officers Keep Jobs After Carrick Investigation Failure”

Accident – Death – Obituary News : : 1. Police officer accountability
2. Law enforcement integrity

David Tippetts, a former police sergeant now an inspector, and Pc Emma Fisher faced disciplinary action following an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). The investigation was initiated in July last year after a referral from Wiltshire Police. The officers failed to properly investigate a report of serious abuse against David Carrick, a serving Metropolitan Police officer, leading to missed opportunities to uncover his violent and sexual offenses. Both officers were found guilty of breaching professional standards and received final written warnings. Wiltshire Police acknowledged the failure and promised to learn from the incident to improve their service and regain public trust.

In a recent incident in Wiltshire, police officers David Tippetts and Pc Emma Fisher faced a disciplinary hearing following an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). The investigation began in July last year after a referral from Wiltshire Police.

**Missed Opportunity for Investigation**

The investigation revealed that a woman had called Wiltshire Police in January 2016 to report that a Metropolitan Police Service officer, David Carrick, had abused another female. Pc Fisher was assigned to investigate the matter, but after speaking to the woman, she requested the case be closed. Her supervisor, Sgt Tippetts, agreed without further investigation.

**Lack of Proper Investigation**

The IOPC found that Pc Fisher updated the force’s computer system falsely stating that the matter had been investigated earlier. In reality, no investigation had taken place, and the victim was never contacted about the allegation. If the officers had searched for Carrick’s name on the police system, they would have found he was under investigation for other offenses. Despite knowing this, they did not inform the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards or seek advice from their own department.

**Consequences of Inaction**

In February 2023, Carrick was sentenced to a minimum of 30 years in prison for multiple violent and sexual offenses. IOPC regional director Mel Palmer expressed disappointment at the missed opportunity by the Wiltshire Police officers to investigate Carrick following the initial report of abuse.

**Consequences for Officers**

Both officers faced a gross misconduct hearing and were found to have breached standards of behavior. They were given final written warnings lasting two years. Wiltshire Police deputy chief constable Craig Dibdin acknowledged the failure of the officers to properly investigate the allegations and apologized for the oversight.

**Improving Police Service**

Dibdin emphasized the need for trust and confidence in the police force and pledged to share learnings from the case to improve services. He apologized to the person whose report was not initially investigated and assured the public of their commitment to thorough investigations in the future.

In conclusion, the incident highlights the importance of thorough investigations and proper oversight in law enforcement. It serves as a reminder of the impact of inaction on potential offenders and the need for transparency and accountability within police departments.