Misconduct proceedings conclude following independent investigation into police management of Jamie Reynolds
An independent investigation into police management of Jamie Reynolds, who was convicted of murdering Wellington teenager Georgia Williams, has concluded.
Following the murder of Georgia Williams on 26th May 2013 West Mercia Police referred the force's handling of previous incidents involving Jamie Reynolds, who was convicted of her murder, to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).
The IPCC determined that the matter should be subject of a local investigation. However, West Mercia Police felt it was essential that the investigation was conducted independently and as such asked Devon and Cornwall Police to conduct the inquiries.
The investigation by Devon and Cornwall Police and subsequent IPCC appeals process determined that there was a case to answer and that misconduct meetings should take place.
The purpose of a misconduct meeting is to review the investigation report and make a decision about whether it was proven that the individuals' conduct fell below the standards set out in the Standards of Professional Behaviour. Where misconduct is found then it is decided what outcome should be given. The maximum potential outcome for a misconduct meeting is a final written warning.
These meetings were conducted by Superintendent Mark Travis and took place on Thursday 4 November for the officers involved and this afternoon, Tuesday 24 November, for the member of police staff.
The meetings found that some, but not all, of the allegations made were proven. Through the course of the meetings it was determined that there were errors made by some individuals in relation to efficiency, attention to detail, management control and supervision. The errors did not relate to wider issues of safeguarding and there was no identifiable causal link between officers' actions in 2008 and Georgia's tragic murder in 2013.
The outcomes of the meetings will see one officer receiving a written warning and two officers receive management advice. The meeting found that there was no case to answer in relation to the fourth officer. A member of police staff will be subject to a written warning.
Speaking at the conclusion of the misconduct process Chief Constable David Shaw said: "These outcomes are the culmination of a meticulous investigation by Devon and Cornwall Police, review by the IPCC and now these misconduct procedures.
"I have made a heartfelt apology to Georgia's parents and to victims of Jamie Reynolds for the errors that West Mercia Police made. Our thoughts have remained with them throughout this process and we have strived to work with them to seek and provide answers to their understandable questions.
"As a police service we have been deeply shaken by Georgia's murder and it is vitally important that we take what has been learnt and reinforce it across the whole organisation. We have already made significant changes to our working practices but we are determined that it does not end here. We will not stop in our commitment to ensuring every member of our workforce has the right tools and support needed to ensure that, with our partners, everything feasible is done to protect people from harm."
The Devon and Cornwall Police investigation report which led to these meetings will be released on the West Mercia Police website shortly.
In October this year Telford and Wrekin Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) agencies, including West Mercia Police, public ally released a Discretionary Serious Case Review (DSCR) into all agencies involvement in previous incidents involving Reynolds.
Together the organisations fully accepted the recommendations outlined in the DSCR and gave details of the changes that had already been implemented to help prevent such a tragedy from happening in the future.
