Recently resigned police constable was sentenced on 9th October for striking a schoolboy while off-duty. As a result of the IOPC investigation, Sharanjit Kaur was sentenced to 12 months community order. 

The incident occurred in October of last year, with police being informed through social media footage that was circulating and formally issued complaints. It took nearly a year for the court hearing and sentencing of ex-PC Kaur to take place due to the current backlog facing courts. While initially denied, the assault was confirmed by Kaur later on, when it was also found that she had car-keys in hand when the boy was hit.

This comes after an increasingly turbulent relationship between the public (particularly students) and the police forces around the UK. Derrick Campbell of the IOPC stated the victim’s age and vulnerability ‘were clearly aggravating factors’, with PC Kaur’s actions having ‘the capacity to undermine public confidence in policing’.

PC Kaur’s actions have ‘the capacity to undermine public confidence in policing’.

West Midlands Police have had 27 misconduct hearings so far in 2023, with Kaur’s being the latest. Government findings found that the 18-29 age group has the least trust and confidence in police forces, which highlights those in higher education and in early years of work to be those most sceptical. There are concerns that this incident may be viewed as forming a pattern of events in the West Midlands area.

Despite this, the West Midlands police have repeatedly reinforced that these are not values held by them. 

‘All police officers…have a duty to comply with the highest standards of conduct, ethics, integrity and professionalism,’ Commissioner Simon Foster said, ‘That is non-negotiable.’

Throughout the last few years, there have been national calls for changes to the policing system – seen in Birmingham with protests expressing concerns over misogyny and racism.  Incidents such as this have created increased restlessness in bringing about reform. The IOPC have been working on investigating the issues in the West Midlands police and addressing more systemic issues.

‘Corrupt police officers and those who behave poorly or fail vetting must be kicked out of our forces,’ said Suella Braverman.

This comes after the government moved to attempt to improve the police force earlier this year, aiming to rectify issues of malpractice that have materialised recently in the form of new powers for police chiefs. 

‘Corrupt police officers and those who behave poorly or fail vetting must be kicked out of our forces,’ said Suella Braverman, when announcing these reforms. 

She emphasised that ‘the public must have confidence that their officers are the best … that’s why those who disgrace the uniform must have no place to hide’.

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