Police Officer Dismissal for Sexual Misconduct 2020-2025
Date of request: 7 January 2026
Reference: 13295412
Request
I would like to make a request under the Freedom of Information Act. Please can you tell me how many dismissals of officers there have been for sexual misconduct within your police force?
- I would like the numbers by year, for the previous ten full financial years, so starting with 2015/16.
- If that exceeds the FOI time limit, please send the numbers, by year, for the past five financial years, so starting with 2021/22.
Response
For information from financial years 2015/16 to 2019/20 inclusive, this would attract an exemption under Section 12 of the act. This is because this period predates the Police Complaint and Conduct Regulations 2020 when data capture differs significantly from current practices. Each of the 12,601 cases would need to be manually reviewed to identify the allegation type which is expected to take significantly more than 18 hours.
We have instead provided the information requested for the full financial years from 2020/21.
Avon and Somerset police hold the information requested in an easily extractable form since the 2020-2021 financial year. We have provided data for finalised cases where Police Officers have been dismissed and the allegation relates to:
- J3) Other sexual conduct,
- J1) Sexual assault,
- J2) Sexual harassment,
- G2) Abuse of position for sexual purpose.
Please note, that this is the subject worst outcome and therefore the dismissal decision may not be solely related to the allegations listed above, but the case as a whole.
Details of how allegations are recorded can be found in the IOPC guidance on capturing data police complaints here.
| Fiscal Year | Subject Count |
| 20-21 | 4 |
| 21-22 | 9 |
| 22-23 | 7 |
| 23-24 | 2 |
| 24-25 | 0 |
| Total | 22 |
You may also find this information published here on misconduct of use.