Recommendations - Devon and Cornwall Police, December 2020

The IOPC recommends that Devon and Cornwall Police take steps to ensure all officers and staff within Torquay Custody suite and the wider organisation conform to the expectations of their behaviour under the Code of Ethics, whilst on and off duty, and promote a safe and open culture, which makes clear to officers and staff that they are duty bound to challenge and report behaviour that does not align with this Code. The Code of Ethics states that police officers (or anyone working for the police service) should behave in a manner which does not discredit the police service or undermine public confidence in it, whether on or off duty. It expects police officers to maintain the highest standards of behaviour and always think about how a member of the public may regard that behaviour. The Code of Ethics also requires officers to use social media responsibly and safely and ensure that nothing published online can reasonably be perceived by the public or policing colleagues to be discriminatory, abusive, oppressive, harassing, bullying, victimising, offensive or otherwise incompatible with policing principles Do you accept the recommendation? Yes

Accepted

Force response

The IOPC recommends that Devon and Cornwall Police take steps to ensure all officers and staff within Torquay Custody suite and the wider organisation conform to the expectations of their behaviour under section 26 of the Equality Act 2010, whilst on and off duty, and promote a safe and open culture which makes clear to officers and staff that they are duty bound to challenge and report behaviour that does not align with this Act. Section 26 of the Equality Act 2010 states that person A, harasses another if he engages unwanted conduct related to a protected characteristic, with the effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading or offensive environment for B. In this investigation: Do you accept the recommendation? Yes

Accepted

Force response

The IOPC recommends that Devon and Cornwall Police take steps to ensure all officers and staff within Torquay Custody suite and the wider organisation are complying with the Association of Police Officers’ Guidelines on the Safe use of the Internet and Social Media by Police Officers and Police Staff 2013. They should also make clear to officers and staff that WhatsApp and other instant messaging platforms are considered forms of social media. The Guidelines state that police officers and police staff are advised not to make any comment or post any images of behaviour on the internet or social media which are, or could reasonably be perceived to be, beliefs or conduct that are contrary to the expectations of behaviour outlined in Schedule One (Code of Conduct), Regulation 3, Police (Conduct) Regulations 2004. This investigation has shown that: Do you accept the recommendation? Yes

Accepted

Force response