Sarah Everard: Open letter from South Yorkshire Police Chief Constable Lauren Poultney
She's spoken out following the sentencing of Wayne Couzens yesterday
South Yorkshire Police Chief Constable Lauren Poultney has written an open letter to the public following the Sarah Everard tragedy, which you can read below:
"I felt compelled to write an open letter to the residents of South Yorkshire today about the murder of Sarah Everard.
"Like you, I feel desperately sad for Sarah, her family and her friends. Sarah was a young woman with her whole life ahead of her, her murder stole that from her. Sarahs’ family and friends have been deprived forever of the experiences, adventures and joy that should have been a part of all their futures. As a police officer, my feelings don’t end there. I, like all of my colleagues both male and female, feel the utmost anger that that man ever took oath. That he used the privilege and authority that brings to hurt Sarah.
"Police officers are people who should be and are held to the highest standard. They should be proud to be able to bring safety to dangerous situations. These are the officers I know. That man damaged for everyone the sense of safety a police officer can bring. He led women to question whether they are safe with my male colleagues. He is the worst of people and nothing could be further from the values of the police family.
"The murder of a woman by a stranger is rare, and the circumstances of a British police officer presenting as carrying out a lawful duty to abduct, rape and murder are perhaps unprecedented, but that brings little comfort. Violence against women and girls is endemic in our society, there is more, much more, we need to do.
"As Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police there is more that I can do and I absolutely commit to this. Violence against women takes place in many guises and in many settings, behind closed doors at home and in full view in some public places. Here in South Yorkshire we have been listening to the voices of women about where they don’t feel safe, and understanding where interventions need to take place. We have provided our officers and staff with additional training around Domestic Abuse and added further scrutiny to our investigations around rape and serious sexual offences.
"As of Monday, we are investing further in our understanding as we have employed a dedicated specialist to drive our work to tackle violence against women and girls, ensuring we learn from others and bring the very latest thinking to the force. This will include the development of our understanding of cultural indicators and attitudes, and how we and others can bring real change to society.
"We are also looking at our own cultures within the force. SYP is assessed as being outstanding in ethical behaviour because we are rigorous in our checks, robust in our monitoring but mostly because we have created a culture in which colleagues will report their concerns. I am not prepared to rest on our laurels. We will maintain this rigour and ensure that those who operate amongst us have the very highest standards of integrity.
"I have recently taken on the national lead for counter corruption and I’m keen that we focus not only on addressing corruption but on recognising and identifying the signs of corruption. Corruption includes the abuse of power for sexual gain as this is a corrupt practice.
"There is absolutely no place for this in policing and we will drive it out through a culture in which both men and women feel safe, safe to report their concerns and feel confident that they are working in an ethical environment where action will be taken.
"Both I and all of my colleagues recognise the impact of this and are determined to build back your trust and confidence and ensure that we create a safer environment in South Yorkshire."
Chief Constable Lauren Poultney, South Yorkshire Police