David Tippetts, Pc Fisher, IOPC Investigation : “Police Officers Keep Jobs Despite Carrick Investigation Failure”

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

David Tippetts, a former police sergeant now an inspector, and Pc Emma Fisher faced disciplinary action after an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). The probe began in July last year following a referral from Wiltshire Police. The officers failed to properly investigate David Carrick, a serving Metropolitan Police officer, following a serious abuse allegation in 2016. Despite being under investigation for other offenses, Carrick was not flagged by the officers, leading to missed opportunities. Both officers received final written warnings for breaching professional behavior standards. Wiltshire Police acknowledged the failure and vowed to learn from the incident to improve their service.

The Incident in Wiltshire

In a recent news development, a disciplinary hearing was held for police sergeant David Tippetts, now an inspector, and Pc Emma Fisher after an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). The investigation was initiated following a referral from Wiltshire Police in July last year.

Uncovering Missed Opportunities

Wiltshire Police reviewed their systems after the conviction of David Carrick and discovered a report from 2016 that had not been investigated appropriately. A woman had contacted Wiltshire Police in January 2016 to report that Carrick, a serving Metropolitan Police Service officer, had abused another female. Despite this serious allegation, Pc Fisher, who was assigned to investigate the matter, requested the case be closed with the approval of her supervisor, Sgt Tippetts.

Negligence in Investigation

According to the IOPC investigation, Pc Fisher updated the force’s computer system falsely stating that the woman had mentioned the matter had been previously investigated. However, no record of any prior investigation could be found on Wiltshire’s systems. The victim of the abuse was never contacted about the allegation, and crucial steps were missed in the investigation process.

Missed Opportunities and Oversight

Had the officers conducted a simple search for David Carrick’s name on Wiltshire Police’s crime recording system, they would have discovered that he was already under investigation for unrelated offences against another woman. Despite being informed that Carrick was a serving Met Police officer, no action was taken to inform the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards or seek advice from their own Professional Standards Department.

Consequences and Verdict

As a result of their negligence, both officers faced a gross misconduct hearing for potentially breaching police standards of professional behaviour. The panel determined that their actions amounted to misconduct, and they were both issued final written warnings lasting for two years. Wiltshire Police’s deputy chief constable, Craig Dibdin, expressed regret over the oversight and emphasized the importance of thorough investigations to maintain public trust.

Learning and Improvement

In light of this incident, Wiltshire Police has committed to sharing the lessons learned to enhance their service delivery. The public’s confidence in law enforcement must be upheld through thorough and transparent investigations. Apologies were extended to the individual whose report was not initially investigated, and steps will be taken to prevent similar oversights in the future.