Police ‘boys’ club’ culture that turns a blind eye to male officers attacking their partners and lets them go free will be probed by watchdog

• The Centre For Women’s Justice will launch the complaint against police forces 
• PC Clarke Josyln was accused of abusing multiple female trainees in the force
• His alleged victims claim that Gwent police did not act on the first complaint 

PC Clarke Josyln was accused of abusing multiple female trainees after Gwent police did not act on the first complaint

A ‘boys’ club culture’ in some police forces – where officers can abuse their partners without fear of reprimand – is to be tackled by a super-complaint put forward by domestic abuse campaigners.

The Centre For Women’s Justice, who will launch the complaint, say police forces have failed to properly act on allegations of sexual violence and domestic abuse against officers.

No fewer than 12 accusations of this kind, brought forward by women, have been dropped forces. 

In some instances, the complainant has been arrested themselves.

Super-complaints, which can only be issued by organisations the Home Office designates, raise issues about trends in policing for examination by official bodies – including the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Figures from three-quarters of Britain’s police forces found that close to 700 alleged domestic abuse cases were brought forward against police staff and officers between April 2015 and April 2018.

Freedom of Information requests by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ) found that accusations of domestic abuse made against police staff and officers were a third less likely to result in a conviction than allegations made against the public.

Disciplinary action was given to the accused in fewer than 25 per cent of complaints.

Centre For Women’s Justice solicitor Nogah Ofer told The Observer : ‘We’re concerned about the potential for improper manipulation when police forces investigate their own officers in such sensitive matters’

Centre For Women’s Justice solicitor Nogah Ofer told The Observer: ‘We’re concerned about the potential for improper manipulation when police forces investigate their own officers in such sensitive matters.’

This comes after PC Clarke Josyln was accused of abusing multiple female trainees.

His alleged victims claim that Gwent police did not act on the first complaint.

Sarah, one of the alleged victims using an alias, reported Joslyn for assaults on multiple occasions – including him clutching a knife as he held her against the wall – and claims the force were protecting him.

Josyln, who had been in the Gwent force for 26 years, was never arrested but a hearing found that he had breached professional standards while off-duty, BBC News reports.

Gwent Police said its professional standards department did a ‘thorough and robust enquiry’ into Josyln. 

A force spokesman said: ‘Many of these matters are now subject to further legal proceedings and it would be inappropriate to comment further.’

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