The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has concluded a ‘comprehensive’ inquiry, leading to four officers facing disciplinary hearings, including charges of gross misconduct.

The IOPC’s inquiry identified multiple failures in investigating and handling misconduct allegations against disgraced Metropolitan Police officer David Carrick which led to ‘several missed opportunities’ to dismiss him before his eventual arrest. Four officers will now face disciplinary hearings, with one facing gross misconduct proceedings, while two former officers would have faced similar hearings had they not already retired.

As reported in The Justice Gap in October 2023, the IOPC initially served misconduct notices to these officers for ‘potentially’ breaching police standards of professional behaviour. However, at that time, the watchdog stressed that these notices did not automatically imply further discipline.

The latest findings elevate the situation, with the IOPC explicitly emphasising that, as a matter of ‘public concern’, the scale and severity of officers’ failures to ‘adequately explore, investigate and oversee’ allegations against Carrick warrant disciplinary measures.

The IOPC has also announced it is preparing ‘learning recommendations’ for police forces across England and Wales, focussing on improving vetting procedures and responses to off-duty conduct.

Carrick, a former armed officer in Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection branch, was convicted of 49 charges, including rape, sexual assault, false imprisonment, and coercive and controlling behaviour. In February 2023, he received 36 life sentences, with a minimum term of over 30 years. The circumstances surrounding Carrick’s criminality are being investigated by the Angiolini Inquiry, which also investigated police murderer Wayne Couzens.