THE number of complaints of sexual assault by police officers has more than doubled in the last five years, a Freedom of Information (FOI) request has shown.
In 2020, there were five complaints against officers serving Devon and Cornwall, compared to 16 in 2024, the FOI shows.
Of the five, three were listed as male, with the gender of the other two being listed as ‘unknown’.
In 2024, by contrast, 15 of the total 16 were listed as being male, with one female.
The bulk of last year’s complaints remain under investigation, with some having being sent for review by the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
The number of complaints have increased year on year since 2022, with the number in 2021 being the same as 2020.