Petition to Chief Constable Paul Sanford

Hold Norfolk Constabulary Officers to Account and Order an Independent Review of the Force’s Complaints Process

To Chief Constable Paul Sanford,

I am calling on you, as Chief Constable of Norfolk Constabulary, to ensure that every officer who committed misconduct during the events of 14 January 2023, and every officer whose conduct has subsequently fallen below the expected standards during the handling of the complaint, is held properly to account.

On 14 January 2023, a group of peaceful protesters attended Bethel Street Police Station to protest Norfolk Constabulary’s refusal to prosecute a local animal abuser. We intended to protest outside the station and briefly entered the public enquiry office only to explain why we were there and request a response to our petition.

Within just 30 seconds and after no attempt at constructive dialogue, Sergeant 54 David Allum forcefully ejected us from the building. I was pushed into the road, struck my head, unlawfully arrested, detained for around twelve hours and maliciously prosecuted for an alleged S.5 Public Order offence. In November 2023, I was acquitted at Norwich Magistrates Court, as was protester Lucia Alexander, who had been unlawfully arrested for allegedly assaulting Allum.

Following my acquittal, I submitted a formal complaint to Norfolk Constabulary.

Shortly after my body-worn camera, which had been seized during my arrest on 14 January 2023 was returned. Upon reviewing the footage it became apparent that the officers had failed to switch it off. PC 2204 Weatherstone had put the camera into this pocket and proceeded to inadvertently bug himself and his colleagues.

What was captured revealed a shocking and deeply disturbing police culture. Over the course of approximately four hours, officers who believed nobody was listening spoke with remarkable candour about their attitudes, conduct and treatment of members of the public.

Among the conversations recorded were:

Sergeant David Allum repeatedly demonstrating that he knew who I was before arresting me, despite later claiming the necessity for my arrest was to establish my identity because he supposedly did not know who I was.

Sergeant Allum referring to me as “a fucking waste of space”, while Sergeant 1668 Dan Taylor described me as a “dirty critter”. Officers also gathered around to watch footage of Allum pushing me into the road, laughing, joking and mocking me, while one female officer remarked that I had “asked for it”.

Sergeant Allum announcing that he would have to get his “spin-the-wheel out” because “it’s gonna be one of them kind of statements” as he sat down to write the MG11 witness statement that would later be relied upon to prosecute me.

Officers discussing offences they could charge me with and appearing to make the facts fit a criminal allegation, rather than allowing the evidence to determine whether any offence had actually been committed.

A discussion about a previous occasion on which senior officers had trawled through historic body-worn video footage in an attempt to “generate” an offence against me so they could “push through” a Criminal Behaviour Order restricting my ability to film the police.

PC Aimee Bickel admitting to unlawfully stopping, searching and arresting Black women.

Multiple transphobic and dehumanising remarks directed at fellow protester Lucia Alexander.

Conversations between officers about paying for sexual services at a massage parlour.

These are not isolated remarks taken out of context. They are simply a small selection from hours of recorded conversations that provide a rare and unfiltered insight into police culture when officers believe they are speaking in private.

 I immediately informed the Professional Standards Department about the recording and asked for the matters it revealed to be incorporated into my original complaint.

More than three years later, the Professional Standards Department concluded its investigation. In my view, the outcome failed to address significant evidence, adopted highly selective interpretations of body-worn video footage, misrepresented the law, overlooked serious inconsistencies and demonstrable lies, and repeatedly excused conduct that was wholly indefensible. 

The investigation did acknowledge some inappropriate conduct by officers, yet the overwhelming majority of the complaint was dismissed and no disciplinary action was taken against any officer involved. Conduct that manifestly amounts to gross misconduct should not be dealt with through “learning on reflection”. 

This is about far more than one incident or one officer.

It is about whether members of the public can have confidence that Norfolk Constabulary is willing and able to investigate allegations of police misconduct fairly, impartially and without institutional bias.

When complaints are investigated by colleagues within the same organisation, only for serious allegations to be repeatedly dismissed despite compelling evidence, public trust is inevitably further eroded.

Police officers exercise significant powers over the public. Those powers must be matched by equally robust accountability.

For policing by consent to retain its legitimacy, the public must be confident that officers who abuse their powers or otherwise breach the Standards of Professional Behaviour will face meaningful consequences, regardless of rank or length of service.

I therefore call upon you, Chief Constable Paul Sanford, to:

Ensure that every Norfolk Constabulary officer who committed misconduct during the events of 14 January 2023, or whose conduct subsequently breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour during the investigation of my complaint, is held fully accountable through appropriate misconduct proceedings.

Take immediate steps to ensure that any officer found to have committed gross misconduct is dismissed from Norfolk Constabulary.

Commission an independent review of the handling of complaint CO/53/23, including the decisions made by the Professional Standards Department throughout its investigation.

Publish the findings of that review, together with any recommendations for improving transparency, independence and public confidence.

Conduct a wider review of Norfolk Constabulary’s complaints system to determine whether systemic failings exist in the investigation of complaints against police officers.

Introduce any reforms necessary to ensure that future complaints involving allegations of assault, unlawful arrest, excessive force, dishonesty or other serious misconduct are investigated independently, objectively and in a manner that commands public confidence.

No organisation can maintain public confidence if it appears unwilling to investigate itself fairly or hold its own members accountable when standards fall below what the public is entitled to expect.

Chief Constable Paul Sanford, I ask you to demonstrate that Norfolk Constabulary is committed to integrity, transparency and genuine accountability by ensuring that all officers responsible for misconduct are held to account, and by ordering an independent review into the way complaints against your officers are investigated.

If you believe that nobody should be above the law, that police officers should be accountable for misconduct, and that public confidence depends upon genuine transparency rather than institutional self-protection, please sign this petition.