POLICE say they will ‘not hesitate’ to take action against officers failing to meet expectations.

There has been a spike in the number of Cheshire Police officers sacked and banned from returning to the job.

Ten officers were added to the barred list in 2023/24, according to new statistics shared by the College of Policing.

This is up from four in 2022/23 and two each in 2021/22 and 2021/20.

Deputy Chief Constable Chris Armitt says this rise is reflective of the action Cheshire Police has taken to ensure officers meet the standards they expect.

He said: “While it's disappointing to see an increase in the number of officers who have been added to the barred list in the past 12 months, it demonstrates that we will not hesitate to act against those who fail to meet the standards we expect.

“When we say we uphold the highest standards of professional behaviour amongst our workforce we really do mean it.”

DCC Armitt added: “It is essential that the people of Cheshire have both confidence and trust in the service we deliver, and I want to ensure that anyone who turns to us for help or who finds themselves in need of our assistance can be completely confident that they will be treated with the courtesy, respect, and professionalism they deserve.

“That is why we actively promote the highest standards of personal and professional behaviour and integrity to all officers and staff, and as these figures show, we are committed to rooting out those who do not meet these standards.”

Across the country, 593 police officers were kicked out of the service in the year to March 2024.

That is a 50 per cent rise on the previous 12 months, when 394 officers were added to the barred list.

The 593 officers come from a workforce of more than 147,000 across the 43 police forces in England and Wales.

Dishonesty was the most common reason recorded for dismissal, in 125 cases, while sexual offences or misconduct was recorded in 74 and discriminatory behaviour in 71.

Assistant Chief Constable Tom Harding, director of operational standards at the College of Policing, said: “It is of course, hugely disappointing to see the conduct of a number of officers falling far below the standard that we set for policing and which the public rightly expects.

“However, these figures show that we have effective, robust procedures in place to identify and deal with these officers swiftly, and to prevent them from holding future roles in within the police.

“These figures show that there is nowhere to hide for people who fail to meet the high standards set across our police forces.

“Their behaviour tarnishes policing and erodes public trust.

“The service will continue working to ensure we attract the right people into policing, ensuring that those who fail to meet these high standards have no future in policing.”

Anyone who wishes to make a complaint or compliment about the service they have received from Cheshire Police can contact the Professional Standards Department on 101, or visit https://www.cheshire.police.uk/fo/feedback/complaints/complaints/make-complaint-about-police/.