Metropolitan Police whistleblower quits days before misconduct hearing

A Scotland Yard officer who faced a misconduct inquiry after blowing the whistle on manipulated crime statistics has quit just days before his hearing saying that his trust in the force had been destroyed (Getty Images)

A Scotland Yard officer who faced a misconduct inquiry after blowing the whistle on manipulated crime statistics has quit just days before his hearing saying that his trust in the force had been destroyed.

James Patrick revealed that he had handed in his notice on his blog today, but will remain in post pending a misconduct inquiry which is due to take place next month. He said that his experience showed that the whistleblowing system designed to address officers’ concerns was flawed.

“It is impossible for me to see how I could ever trust the MPS [Metropolitan Police Service] again; that is something which is permanently destroyed,” he said in his resignation statement. “I have held out for as long as I can but enough is enough: the camel’s back has been broken with a sledgehammer.”

Mr Patrick was told in December 2012 that he faced a gross misconduct inquiry after writing a book critical of police service reforms and crime statistics and what was said to be an “exploration of the next political scandal waiting to happen”.

The officer, who joined the force in 2009 after five years in Derbyshire, gave evidence to a parliamentary committee about crime statistics along with other retired officers. PC Patrick told MPs that massaging figures to hit performance targets had become an “ingrained part of policing culture”.

He said that serious offences including rape and child sex abuse had been recorded as crime-related incidents or “no crimes”.

His solicitor, Karen Todner, said that he had attempted to take his concerns through official channels but hit a brick wall.

Scotland Yard declined to comment.