A watchdog says it is “deeply concerned” by reports that a North East firefighter was promoted while being investigated for an alleged rape.
ITV News reported on Thursday evening that a serving firefighter at the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service was given a new management job while under investigation. Chief fire officer Chris Lowther has admitted to being aware of the rape allegation, which did not lead to further police action, and allowed the unnamed firefighter’s promotion to go ahead.
His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that it was “deeply concerned by these allegations”. The ITV report also included accusations from a former firefighter that she had been bullied and sexually harassed – including having her kit tampered with and being left alone in a blaze.
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A HMICFRS spokesperson added: “We are in contact with Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service to ensure this is investigated thoroughly, and we will be closely monitoring the outcome of the service’s independent review.”
Phil Tye, chair of the Tyne and Wear Fire Authority, said he understood that residents would be “concerned” by the shocking allegations but that no such issues had ever been raised with him personally. The Sunderland councillor added: “In my short time as chairperson of the Fire Authority, I have spent considerable time in community fire stations across the region, often without any fire officers being present.
“I have spoken to staff, listened to their concerns and nobody has raised concerns around the culture within the service, or made allegations similar to those we heard in the report on ITV. In fact, many of those staff members have described how Chief Fire Officer Lowther has instilled a culture where individuals have the confidence to speak up about any issues they may have.
“However, as the chief has recognised, the behaviours described are completely unacceptable and have absolutely no place in this organisation. There may be staff members who are experiencing these behaviours and are suffering in silence. I want to work with the Service to ensure those individuals have the confidence to speak up, and that action will be taken.
“Staff can raise those concerns through the service’s independent reporting tool SafeCall but they are also welcome to contact me directly and I will deal with those concerns in the strictest of confidence.”
The fire service had already commissioned an independent “cultural audit” last year, which is due to be launched next month, but Coun Tye confirmed that talks were being held on Friday to discuss whether the review’s scope had to be reassessed in light of the new allegations. He told the LDRS: “It is not something we want to rush. It is being done completely externally to the organisation, an external company is doing it and the process will take as long as it takes.”
Mr Lowther recently announced his retirement but insisted in a statement on Thursday night that his impending exit was not linked to the accusations now levelled against him. He said that the allegations made regarding the treatment of the female firefighter were “not ones I recognise as being common place in Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service”, but detailed behaviours that are “abhorrent and have no place in our organisation”.
Addressing the promotion of the staff member who had been accused of rape, Mr Lowther added: “I was spoken to by police as a potential witness in the case and advised not to share any further details of the case. The staff member did not face any further police action.
“The promotion process had also been completed prior to the allegation being made but I can confirm the promotion was confirmed following the alleged incident. It would have been highly unusual for me to intervene in that process, particularly following the advice I had received from police, but I recognise some members of the public may have expected me to.
“In recent days I have been reflecting on that decision, and I will continue to deliberate as to whether I could have acted differently. What I know in my heart is that every decision I made, I felt I did in the best interest of the service, and in line with the procedures we had in place.
“Those procedures are under review. However, if any decision I made has damaged that trust, or added to the trauma of a victim of sexual assault, then I whole-heartedly apologise.”
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