In February 2022, The Shared Data Unit (SDU) looked at the sanctions faced by police officers in misconduct hearings since the latest police watchdog was formed in 2018.
The research found that around one in two police officers had remained in their jobs despite their gross misconduct being proven since then.
Out of 118 cases where the standards breach was proven by force disciplinary panels, 55 led to the sack.
The panels were held after the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) found a case to answer for gross misconduct - the most serious breach of police standards.
The IOPC strategy director said the watchdog did not "always agree" with the sanctions handed out by forces.
But the Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers across England and Wales, said a written warning was an "18-month stain" on an officer's record.
In order to obtain the national figures, we analysed the yearly outcomes report released by the IOPC.
However, the The IOPC reports did not contain details by force, so separately, the BBC examined more than 800 reports into misconduct cases published on the IOPC website.
From those we narrowed the outcomes down to 244 reports where there was a misconduct or gross misconduct case to answer. We read all of these to find what sanctions were gven to officers and staff and the force they represented.
Out of the 244 officers with a case to answer in our regional analysis:
- 105 (43%) faced no further action. Twenty of those had left the force before their hearings were heard, but the majority (77, or 73% of the 105) were found not guilty by a force panel.
- 87 (36%) received management action
- 40 officers (16%) were given a written warning
- 10 officers (4%) were dismissed
Cases involving persistent bullying, the use of racial slurs and deaths of members of the public were among those to see no further action taken.
For this project we shared:
- An accompanying spreadsheet and website which allowed partners to view each IOPC case published when there was a case to answer for misconduct and the subsequent outcomes
- Detailed background to the IOPC.
- Detailed analysis
- Interviews with Janet Alder and acclaimed filmmaker Ken Fero, who have both been campaigning for stricter police regulation for 30 years.
- Responses from the IOPC, the Police Federation and the Crown Prosecution Service.
The story featured on BBC Online, BBC Radio Leeds and BBC Radio Sheffield. It was also discussed in debates on Radio Four's Today and Sunday Morning on BBC One.
The BBC Shared Data Unit makes data journalism available to the wider news industry as part of the BBC Local News Partnership.
Stories written in print and online by partners based on this research included:
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Barry and District News: Analysing the IOPC and police misconduct complaint system 12 February 2022
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The Bolton News: Police complaints 'broken' as Bolton 'excessive force' officers cleared 11 February 2022
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The National: Analysing the IOPC and police misconduct complaint system 12 February 2022
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Portsmouth News: Police defend policy on misconduct after question over action 14 February 2022
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Yorkshire Post: 19 Police guilty of misconduct but just one fired 12 February 2022
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Yorkshire Live: Police complaints system 'broken and powerless' as campaigners demand overhaul of IOPC 11 February 2022
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Worcester News: West Mercia Police misconduct cases according to IOPC 11 February 2022
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Wokingham Today: Thames Valley Police officers given management action after misconduct proven 11 February 2022
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Hereford Times: Police misconduct in the force that covers Herefordshire 11 February 2022
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The Times: Police keep jobs after half of gross misconduct rulings 12 February 2022
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Porstmouth News: Misconduct allegations taken very seriously Hampshire Police says 11 February 2022
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Bournemouth Echo: Watchdog findings over Dorset Police 'misconduct' led to no action 11 February 2022
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South Wales Argus: Analysing the IOPC and police misconduct complaints system 12 February 2022
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Dorset Echo: Misconduct findings led to no action against Dorset Police officers 11 February 2022
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Manchester World: The greater Manchester police officers who have faced misconduct hearings revealed by data 11 February 2022
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The Basingstoke Gazette: Damning investigation blasts ‘broken’ police complaints system 11 February 2022
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Suffolk News: Suffolk Police officer who had relationship with domestic abuse victim quit before misconduct hearing 11 February 2022
-Cambridgeshire Live: Cambridgeshire police officers found guilty of misconduct in the last three years 19 February 2022