A civilian police officer who started a relationship with a convict has been imprisoned. Rachel Beale was working for Wiltshire Police’s Sexual or Violent Offender Management Unit when she started the intimate relationship.
The 53-year-old became involved with a convict she was supervising between February and September 2020. She was suspended from the force as soon as details of her offense surfaced.
Beale appeared at Bristol Crown Court today (March 30) and was jailed for six months. She had previously pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office.
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She was also added to the College of Policing’s banned registry. This means that she will no longer be able to work for another police force.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) led the investigation into the case. Another Wiltshire Police internal investigation found Beale would have been sacked had she not already resigned from the force.
Deputy Chief Constable Paul Mills of Wiltshire Police, said: ‘It goes without saying that we expect the highest standards of conduct from all our officers, staff and volunteers, which is even more important when an employee is directly involved in the supervision of offenders within our community.
“Rachel Beale betrayed the trust of the public, and betrayed the trust of her colleagues, when she flagrantly abused her position to commit this crime. The outcome of this investigation and today’s sentencing show that there is no place in the police for someone who behaves this way.
“She was immediately suspended from duty when this matter came to our attention and once she pleaded guilty in court we held an internal misconduct hearing which resulted in her dismissal from the Force. . This misconduct result protects the public by ensuring that she is placed on the national banned list and cannot seek other employment in other police forces.
DCC Mills added: ‘I want our communities across Swindon and Wiltshire to have the utmost confidence in their police forces, and, while cases like this highlight the disappointing and unacceptable minority, I hope that the public can see that we are committed to rooting out any type of misconduct and taking appropriate action.
“If any member of the public has concerns about the professionalism of an officer or staff member, we urge them to contact us confidentially so that we can address the concerns raised.”
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Source: www.somersetlive.co.uk
This notice was published: 2022-03-30 16:19:54
