A dozen officers were sacked and barred from Thames Valley Police last year, new figures show.

Meanwhile, the number soared across England and Wales, with nearly 600 officers kicked out of the service.

Since 2017, officers sacked for misconduct are added to the 'barred list', which prevents them from working for the police.

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New figures from the College of Policing show 12 officers were sacked and barred from Thames Valley Police in 2023-24 – a rise from 11 a year earlier.

Of these, five were dismissed and banned while serving, while seven had already resigned.

Since 2018-19, 81 officers have been kicked out of Thames Valley Police.

The figures also show 593 officers were fired and barred from police forces across England and Wales in 2023-24, up 50 per cent from 394 a year earlier.

Assistant Chief Constable Tom Harding, director of operational standards at the organisation, said: "It is of course, hugely disappointing to see the conduct of a number of officers falling far below the standard that we set for policing and which the public rightly expects."

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Among all police forces, dishonesty was the most common reason recorded for sacking, in 125 cases, while sexual offences or misconduct was recorded in 74.

Discriminatory behaviour was recorded in 71 cases, and unlawful access to or disclosure of information in 66.

Eighteen officers were sacked for being part of a discriminatory WhatsApp group, the same number for possessing indecent images of children, and 33 for abusing their position for a sexual purpose.