Superintendent Lopa McDermott, of Kent Police, told KentOnline officers are “always assessed for their suitability before taking up a new role” and disciplinary issues are “fully considered beforehand”. “I will be talking to Kent Police about this and will raise my concerns over the appointment of DI Banks.” Superintendent Lopa McDermott. She told KentOnline: “I am concerned to hear about this case, as now more than ever it’s vitally important we restore confidence to women who need to report such behaviour. The fellow officer, who asked not to be named, argues it shows Kent Police is “a blokey, white force that hasn’t changed much since the the 1980s”.ĭI Banks has 20 years’ detective experience at Kent Police, according to his LinkedIn profile, and was promoted from detective sergeant to detective inspector in September 2019.Ĭanterbury MP Rosie Duffield is troubled by his new position. KentOnline understands the appointment was made within six months of the misconduct hearing. “His conduct towards the DC was sexist and he used a belittling and sexist comment when hitting her on an intimate part of her body.”īut DI Banks has since been put in charge of the offender management unit for East Division, covering Canterbury, Ashford, Folkestone, Hythe, and Dover. ![]() The panel finds that DI Banks would not have acted in this way towards a male colleague. “I am concerned to hear about this case, as now more than ever it’s vitally important we restore confidence to women who need to report such behaviour."Ĭhair Claire Harrington said of his behaviour: “This did not treat DC, a woman, fairly and with respect. It “very narrowly concluded” that DI Banks - a highly commended officer - could keep his job, giving him a final written warning. It hurt and made me jump.”ĭI Banks denied the use of the word “naughty”, claiming he said “cheeky” instead.īut the panel ruled he slapped DC and had said both naughty and cheeky, amounting to gross misconduct. It was a slap on the bottom which was of force, loud enough to hear it, to feel it. ![]() The woman told the panel: “It was a hard slap. She was making her own cup of tea at the office kitchenette after exchanging jokes with DI Banks about being left out.ĭI Banks then walked over and slapped DC on the bottom, telling her words to the effect of “just leave it, you naughty girl, I’ll do it”. Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield says she will raise her concerns about the appointment with Kent Police The panel heard that in January 2020, DI Banks had made a round of tea and unintentionally missed out the officer, referred to during the hearing as DC. One of DI Banks’ colleagues - based in the east of the county - told KentOnline: “How would you feel if you were a victim of a sexual offence and you knew the person overseeing the management of your offender had himself been found guilty of gross misconduct after slapping a woman on the bottom?”ĭI Banks appeared before a misconduct panel at Kent Police headquarters in Maidstone in September last year.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |