Constable who assaulted youth among ten Cleveland officers who quit while under investigation

A police constable who assaulted a youth and another who took part in a long distance event while on long term sick leave were among the Cleveland officers who quit the force while under fire.

Ten officers were accused of misconduct at Cleveland Police between April 2013 and November 2014.

They resigned while being investigated by the force - and faced no further action - while a further two were dismissed following a hearing.

Resignations included Ann Hall, the most senior member of the force’s staff. The chief officer had been due to face a misconduct hearing following allegations of misuse of public funds in Operation Sacristy but left in May 2013.

And Chief Inspector Mick Williams left of his own will in May 2014 before an internal disciplinary hearing. He had been placed under investigation after his son was locked up for child sex offences.

The officer was initially arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice in November 2013 but did not face any criminal charges.

Also on the list was former Detective Chief Inspector Heather Eastwood who quit her job ahead of a disciplinary. It was alleged she failed to inform superiors of her arrest for being drunk and disorderly.

The 12 officers at Cleveland Police are among the 444 officers placed on the national College of Policing’s Disapproved Register during its first year of operation.

The list prevents them from re-entering the police service after being dismissed for misconduct or resigning or retiring while subject to a gross misconduct investigation where there would have been a case to answer.

Detective Superintendent Jon Green, head of Cleveland Police professional standards department, said due to a change in law introduced in January, officers can no longer resign while the subject of gross misconduct proceedings.

“Those who would have appeared at a gross misconduct hearing, had they not resigned, are still subject to the national Disapproved Register and therefore are prevented from seeking re-employment within any policing role,” he said.

“For some time Cleveland Police has published details of such cases on our website, in order to promote transparency and confidence in our internal discipline processes.”

Nationally, the highest number of officers left the service - through dismissal, retiring or resigning - due to data misuse. And 41 were accused of giving false evidence.

Five were dismissed for child sex offences, according to the register.

College of Policing chief executive, Chief Constable Alex Marshall, said: “It is encouraging to see 91% of misconduct cases came from internal complaints and investigations.

“This shows the willingness of police officers and forces to confront unacceptable behaviour and use the formal misconduct mechanisms to hold offenders to account.”