Written Warning Given To Hampshire Police Officer

23 January 2014, 13:10 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

A Hampshire Constabulary officer has been given a written warning following an investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) into how the force handled reports of anti-social behaviour.

The IPCC investigated Hampshire Constabulary's response to several reports of anti-social behaviour in an area of Gosport which preceded a serious assault on Andrew Toseland in August 2012.

The investigation examined the force's response to reports of anti-social behaviour at Garland Court, Forton Road, enquiries carried out by officers and contact made with residents between 20 May and 25 August 2012, and the management of anti-social behaviour and whether it was dealt with appropriately.

The IPCC's investigation, which concluded in September 2013, found that Jim Logan, who was a Police Sergeant at the time of the anti-social behaviour, had a case to answer for misconduct.

The investigation found that Inspector Logan did not sufficiently grasp the issues at Garland Court and breached the standards of professional behaviour expected by inadequately supervising local officers.

Inspector Logan appeared before a misconduct meeting on Wednesday, 15 January, when the case against him was proven and he received a written warning.

Commissioner Derrick Campbell said:

"Anti-social behaviour causes misery for residents and as highlighted by this terrible and other tragic cases it can also have a devastating effect on peoples' lives.

"Although Hampshire Constabulary responded appropriately to some reports of disorder at Garland Court, it was done so in isolation and without the bigger picture being pieced together.

"As the Neighbourhood Sergeant who had responsibility for the area at the time of the anti-social behaviour, Inspector Logan should have realised the situation at Garland Court was escalating in relation to the number of reported incidents and put in place a clear action plan for his team to tackle the problem.

"Our investigation concluded that Inspector Logan did not grasp the extent of the issues at Garland Court and failed to adequately supervise his local officers. Such failings are a clear breach of the standards expected of officers and it is right he has received a written warning.

"Additionally our investigation identified issues relating to Hampshire Constabulary's training programme and we recommended the force reviews how it supports officers and identifies potential training requirements."