Did hit-and-run officer tell Norfolk police he had amnesia?
PC Karl Warren had criminal charges against him dropped after claiming the medical condition meant he had no memory of hitting an Audi at almost 50mph on the A146.
Norfolk police[1] had refused to say whether the officer, a firearms specialist, or the force knew of this condition before the crash.
A Norfolk and Suffolk Roads and Armed Policing Team (RAPT) vehicle crashing into the back of an Audi on the A146 (Image: Norfolk Constabulary)
But a new report by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) disclosed that PC Warren had already been diagnosed with transient global amnesia, a temporary loss of memory.
Following this revelation, the 34-year-old Norwich woman who was driving the Audi said it was vital the force now disclosed whether it was aware of his condition. “Did the force know or was PC Warren keeping his condition to himself and continuing to drive a huge police car and carry a gun?" she said. "There are a lot of questions the chief constable needs to answer now." She said she had found it “truly astonishing” that despite his diagnosis he remained in active service before the crash on March 5 last year. “I am outraged and the public should be too,” she said. “Since the accident PC Warren has not been on active service but he was before - how can that have been allowed to happen?" Norfolk Constabulary said officers were responsible for self-declaring any welfare issues. Last month chief constable Paul Sanford said PC Warren had “passed all the relevant tests” when asked whether his medical issue had been picked up before the crash. He told a public meeting with the county’s police and crime commissioner Giles Orpen-Smellie the officer had been “assessed by an occupational health nurse for several years that he was fit to perform this role”. Meanwhile, former and serving policemen have also raised concerns, including one who described an earlier incident where PC Warren appeared to have an episode of amnesia. A current Norfolk officer, who asked not to be identified, told this newspaper that other officers had been aware of PC Warren’s condition and claimed that after a previous incident he could not “remember his name, where he was, or what he was doing”.
Another retired former senior police officer said: “It does seem a worry that he has apparently had this type of issue in the past but either he didn’t declare it or he was seemingly allowed to continue to serve. “There are quite strict rules, especially around advanced driving and firearms, for obvious reasons, but it does rely on officers revealing medical issues or them being picked up in assessments.” Mr Sanford said all officers in the Norfolk and Suffolk Roads and Armed Policing Team (RAPT) were subject to annual medical checks. “They also on a six-yearly cycle and have reviews with information provided directly from their GP,” he told the PCC meeting.
“All officers within the team must self-certify their fitness to carry a firearm and disclose any medical history. “Indeed at the point where the officer draws their weapons at the start of the shift they also make a declaration to say they are fit to carry that firearm on that day. [embedded content] Mr Sanford added: “Officers must also pass an annual job-related fitness test, they are also subject to regular supervisors' one-to-ones. “The driver in this case had complied with all of these requirements and had been declared fit to perform his role prior to this incident.” Norfolk police said as well as officers being responsible for raising welfare issues, authorised firearms officers have to declare on each shift that they are fit to carry a firearm. They also have to sign a ‘declaration of understanding’ about use of force as part of a Home Office-governed system[8] to record and monitor the issuing of firearms. A spokeswoman said: “We don’t and will not discuss officers’ personal medical information. However, more generally, we can confirm that only officers who pass the medical screening and assessments are declared fit to carry a firearm. “Wherever necessary, the occupational health clinicians will be made aware of all and any relevant medical factors. All firearms officers undergo regular fitness and health screening assessments.” After the crash PC Warren was immediately placed on restricted non-operational duties and had his police driving and firearms permits revoked. His personal driving licence has since been removed by the DVLA on medical grounds. He is currently working in an administrative “non-operational role” pending further medical assessment.
Following its review the IOPC has said the officer should face a gross misconduct disciplinary hearing. The police watchdog said the force had placed too much emphasis on “contradictory and conflicting” medical evidence that PC Warren had been suffering amnesia at the time when it decided he had “no case to answer”. A second officer, PC Hargrave, is already facing a separate misconduct charge for not reporting the crash.Norfolk chief constable Paul Sanford has publicly apologised over handling of the hit-and-run case (Image: Jason Bye)
PAST AND PRESENT OFFICERS RAISE CONCERNS
Dashcam showing the woman driver indicating and pulling off the road following the collision (Image: Norfolk Constabulary)
The police BMW X5 armed response vehicle continues without stopping (Image: Norfolk (Image: Norfolk Constabulary)
WHAT DID THE CHIEF CONSTABLE SAY?
Norfolk chief constable Paul Sanford questioned about PC warren's medical condition at meeting with the police and crime commissioner (Image: ONPCC)
WHAT MEASURES ARE IN PLACE FOR FIREARMS OFFICERS?
Firearms officers have to declare on each shift that they are fit to carry a weapon (Image: Newsquest)
WHAT IS HAPPENING TO PC WARREN?
The hit and run crash occurred on the A146 at Barnby Bends, between Beccles and Lowestoft (Image: Newsquest)
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