Norfolk's crime commissioner has admitted that "policing has a problem", in the light of the scandal engulfing his force which saw two officers drive off from a 50mph hit-and-run crash.
Giles Orpen-Smellie said he recognised public anger after criminal and misconduct charges were dropped against PC Karl Warren who claims to have no recollection of ramming into the back of a woman’s car.
Another officer, PC Ryan Hargrave, who was a passenger in the police vehicle, is facing a misconduct hearing for not reporting the crash until the following day - meaning his colleague could not be breathalysed.
Both officers remain with the force.
Mr Orpen-Smellie said criminal charges had been dropped after evidence that PC Warren had experienced transient global amnesia, a condition said to have left him with no memory of the incident.
He said: “I am not happy this incident took place, particularly in the current climate, and I understand why the public are not happy about the outcome. We have to respect it.”
The extraordinary case has sparked fury with people questioning how the case has been handled and how the officers can remain in the force.
Among outraged commenters posting online, Philip Raisbury said: “This is absolutely disgusting behaviour from both of them. They should be prosecuted and dealt with properly.”
Toby Charka said: “This should make people’s blood boil, upstanding members of the public get the book thrown at them for petty road traffic violations yet when it's one of their own they let them off the hook.”
Hollie Banks posted: “He still needs to be held to account properly for his actions. The impact on the other driver cannot be ignored.”
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Norfolk chief constable Paul Sanford has said he was determined to root out misconduct in his force in the light of the scandal.
Mr Orpen-Smellie said: “I salute his honesty and I think the public can be reassured by his statements.
“Policing has a problem and Norfolk Constabulary has not been entirely clean of issues. And as a result of this, there has to be a change of culture in-house.
“The statistics of police disciplinaries will increase, but I see that as a good thing as it demonstrates misconduct is being rooted out.”
Speaking at a public event in Great Yarmouth, Mr Orpen-Smellie said both the driver and passenger had faced internal disciplinary action.
PC Warren has been placed on “restricted non-operational duties” not involving criminal investigations and has had his driving and firearms permits revoked.
PC Hargrave remains on operational duties with the Norfolk and Suffolk Roads and Armed Policing Team (RAPT) but is still subject to misconduct proceedings that could see him given a final warning but not sacked.
Mr Orpen-Smellie said: “The court case was dropped as the officer was able to produce medical evidence. It was the Crown Prosecution Service’s decision to drop the court case, not the police.”
READ MORE: Norfolk chief constable admits failings in hit-and-run case
The case comes as the chief inspector of constabulary Andy Cooke said public trust in the police was “hanging by a thread” in the wake of a series of “dreadful” scandals and systemic failings.
In his annual assessment of policing in England and Wales, his first since his appointment last year, he said police were failing to keep up with rising demand from the public and too often were not doing the basics right.
Mr Cooke, who before his appointment served as a police officer for 36 years, insisted policing was not “broken beyond repair” but that the service had a “limited window of opportunity” to rebuild public trust.
Mr Orpen-Smellie said he was still confident that a “silent majority” still supported the Norfolk force.
“The greatest complaint I hear from the public is that they don’t see enough police officers on the streets,” he said. “That tells me the silent majority still has faith in Norfolk Constabulary.
“Yes, we have to change behaviour and that has to be done in house. But those changes must be supported by the public. If the public didn’t support the police, why would officers come to work?
“If the thin blue line melted away, who would keep us safe?”
- This newspaper has offered both officers the chance to give their side of the story but they have refused.
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