ALMOST a dozen police officers have faced dismissal from Hampshire Constabulary over the past five years, new figures show.

Data from the Home Office shows 11 officers have been dismissed from the force since April 2017 – including five in the year to March.

The figures refer to officers who were made redundant, have been made to resign, or have had their contracts terminated – including any asked to leave the force due to misconduct.

Across England and Wales 192 officers were sacked in 2021-22, up from 179 the year before.

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Though dismissals are not always due to misconduct, the conduct of police officers has come under greater scrutiny in the wake of the murder of Sarah Everard by serving Met officer Wayne Couzens, who will never be freed from prison after losing an appeal against his whole life sentence last week.

Data from the College of Policing, a professional body, shows nationally 257 officers were placed on the 'barred list' in the year to March 2021 – the latest figures – including 11 in Hampshire.

This means they can no longer serve in the police, having been found to have committed gross misconduct while in the force.

The number of officers added to the list is higher than the number of dismissals, as many instead choose to resign or retire – 118 did so nationally in 2021.

Hampshire police and crime commissioner, Donna Jones said: “It is absolutely right that when police officers do not meet the standards of behaviour expected of them by the public, they risk losing their job.

“Recent events have meant forces are looking at their internal cultures more and encouraging staff to report any concerns they have about colleagues. Shining a light like this will ultimately lead to more misconduct cases. As Police and Crime Commissioner, I am also making sure that misconduct cases are held in public where possible to make the process fair and open, but robust.

“However, the majority of police officers are dedicated individuals who want to serve and protect the public and in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight, we are on track to recruit an extra 600 officers by March 2023.

“It’s important that police forces recruit the right people for the job during this period of national uplift.”

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The National Police Chiefs Council, a staff body for police leaders, said a "tiny minority" of police officers undermine public trust and confidence in policing.

A spokesperson said: “Where officers don’t meet the expected standards of behaviour they will be dealt with directly, and this could result in them losing their jobs or in the most serious cases, a criminal conviction.

"Everyone in policing needs to contribute to an inclusive, professional, and ethical culture.

“As a result of shining a light, more misconduct will be discovered, more officers will be sanctioned, leave the service or even be charged and convicted of crimes.”

Police forces are also grappling with increased resignations, the Home Office figures show.

The number of officers leaving the force has reached an all-time high across England and Wales, fuelled in part by a surge in voluntary resignations.

In the year to March 3,653 officers resigned, a significant increase on the 2,154 the year before, and including 96 in Hampshire.

But despite this, there has been a net increase in the number of police officers nationally, with new recruits being hired as part of the government's pledge of 20,000 new officers by 2023.

A spokesperson from Hampshire Constabulary said: "Hampshire Constabulary has robust procedures in place to deal with misconduct.

"We are absolutely clear that all officers and staff must adhere to the standards of behaviour expected of them due to their positions within society and we are proactive in taking action against those who fall below those standards."