Police forces are keeping the lid on fresh scandals by silencing whistleblowers with gagging orders, the officers’ union has claimed.
Police chiefs across the country insist they are cleaning up forces and rebuilding public trust with greater transparency, after a series of damning episodes which saw officers involved in rapes, murder, misogyny and racism.
However, the Police Federation claims potential new scandals are being kept at bay after officers who reported concerns or launched employment tribunals were effectively silenced by entering into non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) behind closed doors.
The union says some members have gone to tribunals over bullying, sexism, racism and sexual harassment, and the force has settled out of court without admitting guilt and made them sign a gagging order. There are fears the practice could mean lessons are not learned. Federation chairman Steve Hart-shorn said: “If cases settle out of court and the officer is silenced there is no challenge to these cultures and behaviours and it may continue."
“We want to see outcomes made public so lessons are learned."
“If this had happened earlier we may not have seen some of the cultures that have developed.”
Controversial NDAs have been used across a number of industries to cover claims of sex abuse, corruption and other damaging practices.
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