Figures reveal sex assault complaints made against Avon and Somerset Police
A local charity is calling for any officers accused to be suspended immediately
A dozen complaints of sexual assault have been made against serving Avon and Somerset (AS) police officers since 2016, it has been revealed.
Figures released today following a Freedom of Information request by RADAR show 12 claims were made against 15 officers during that time frame.
In that same period there have also been seven claims made against officers at nearby Gloucestershire Police and six claims against officers at Wiltshire Police.
It comes with the issue of women's safety at the top of the political agenda of late following the kidnap, rape and murder of Sarah Everard by then serving Metropolitan police officer Wayne Couzens in London.
There has also been the murder of primary school teacher Sabina Nessa in the capital, while a video recently went viral on social media allegedly showing a man trying to spike a woman's drink inside a Bristol nightclub.
Now, local charity Somerset and Avon Rape and Sexual Abuse Support (SARSAS) is calling for any officer accused of sexual assault to be suspended from duty immediately.
"We're calling on the police to immediately suspend any officers accused of sexual violence," the charity says in a post on Twitter.
"No woman should have to worry that the officer taking her statement or investigating her case after an attack is under investigation for sexual violence offences."
SARSAS do highlight the positive work being done by Avon and Somerset Police through Operation Bluestone which aims to change the way sexual crimes are investigated, but they say more needs to be done.
"Conviction rates for sexual violence are at an all time low," a statement on their website continues.
"We do not want this further impacted by a system that allows those accused of dangerous crimes to be given access to women when we are at our most vulnerable.
"If trust is to be built between women and the police, we need change and we need it now."
In a statement sent to us in response, AS Police say they are committed to providing the public with "the highest standards of service."
"When the conduct of an officer or member of police staff appears to fall below these high standards, our Professional Standards Department (PSD) will robustly investigate and if necessary, take action," they say.
"Should an officer or member of police staff be accused of a serious wrongdoing or criminal behaviour then the matter will be referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
"The IOPC may decide to direct an investigation or independently investigate and where the evidence meets a criminal threshold, then the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) will decide on whether criminal charges are brought."
They add that any officer accused of sexual misconduct is "likely" to be suspended from duty while an inquiry is carried out.
"If evidence of gross misconduct is found, a hearing may take place chaired by a Legally Qualified Chair (LQC) who is independent of policing.
"In the majority of cases, misconduct hearings are held in public but on occasion the LQC may deem it necessary to hold the hearing in private.
"Regardless, the outcome of the hearing is always published on our website in the interests of transparency.
"We fully recognise that if we are to have legitimacy in tackling violence against women and girls, we need to ensure any such behaviour within our own workforce is not tolerated."