1. Police officers retain positions following David Carrick investigation mishap
2. Law enforcement personnel maintain employment despite David Carrick inquiry setback.
Accident – Death – Obituary News : In a recent development, former police sergeant David Tippetts, now an inspector, and Pc Emma Fisher faced a disciplinary hearing after an investigation conducted by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). The investigation was initiated in July last year following a referral from Wiltshire Police.
The inquiry was prompted by a review of the police systems after the conviction of David Carrick, a former Metropolitan Police Service officer. Wiltshire Police unearthed a report from 2016 that seemed to have been inadequately investigated. In January 2016, a woman contacted Wiltshire Police to report that Carrick had abused another female and requested an investigation into the matter.
Pc Fisher was assigned to look into the case, and after meeting with the woman who made the report, she recommended closing the case. Her supervisor, Sgt Tippetts, approved the decision. However, the IOPC revealed that Pc Fisher falsely updated the force’s computer system, stating that the woman had indicated the matter had been previously investigated, when in fact it had not. No record of any previous investigation could be found on Wiltshire’s systems.
Neither officer took any further steps to investigate the matter, nor did they reach out to the female identified as the victim of the abuse. It was later discovered that Carrick was already under investigation for separate offences against another woman, which had been reported to Wiltshire three days prior. Despite knowing that Carrick was a serving Met Police officer, the officers did not inform the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards about the serious allegation against him.
In February 2023, Carrick was sentenced to 30 years in prison for 49 violent and sexual offences, including 24 counts of rape. Regional director of the IOPC, Mel Palmer, highlighted the missed opportunity by Wiltshire Police officers to investigate Carrick following the earlier abuse allegation. The officers faced a gross misconduct hearing and were found to have breached the standards of professional behaviour.
Wiltshire Police’s deputy chief constable, Craig Dibdin, acknowledged the failure of the officers to properly investigate the allegations and the lack of oversight by a supervisor. He expressed regret for the initial oversight and promised to implement measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
This case serves as a reminder of the importance of thorough investigations and adherence to professional standards within law enforcement agencies. The public must have faith in the police to address allegations promptly and effectively, ensuring justice for all parties involved..
“Police officers job security”
“David Carrick investigation failure repercussions”.
