Wiltshire Police has issued a public apology and announced the re-examination of over 3,500 applications made under Clare’s Law, the domestic violence disclosure scheme, between April 2015 and August 2023.
The review comes in response to concerns regarding disclosures made under the scheme, by a now-suspended member of Wiltshire Police staff with failures identified in some cases that have since been checked.
Chief Constable Catherine Roper expressed her apologies for the shortcomings and assured an attempt to contact individuals deemed at risk. The force made a voluntary referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) earlier this year concerning the staff member, who is currently suspended and under investigation.
An urgent audit of Clare’s Law applications made since April 2015 is underway, with a total of just over 3,500 applications being examined. The force has allocated dedicated resources for the review and emphasizes transparency throughout the process.
Of the 3,500 applications, information was disclosed in 1,195 cases. The force encourages anyone with concerns or information regarding individuals at risk of domestic abuse to continue communicating with them. The Independent Office for Police Conduct is conducting an independent investigation into the matter.
Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire, Philip Wilkinson, expressed his appall at the failures, calling for accountability and highlighting the need for immediate support and protection for potential victims. He urged affected individuals to follow guidelines from the force and contact them promptly.
