Why Cops Gone Bad can help put a stop to police corruption
Cops Gone BadSerena Simmons is a leading chartered psychologist with over 30 years of experience and an expert focus on criminal behaviour. In this guest article, Serena explores why some police officers commit crimes, what can be learnt from previous cases and how desperately police reform is needed.
These themes are all examined in the new series of Cops Gone Bad, in which Serena and presenter Will Mellor investigate seven high-profile cases of criminal police officers. The new series will be available on Crime+Investigation from Monday, 17th February.
In 2023, Adam Provan, a 45-year-old man from Suffolk was convicted of multiple counts of rape, including attacks on a young police officer and a 16-year-old girl. He had an offending history that went back years and a pattern of offending that showed a continued escalation in severity which included allegations of sexual misconduct as well as behaviours related to stalking.
This case speaks for itself in terms of seriousness as well as what have been traumatic and life-changing events for the brave survivors of these heinous crimes. Yet what is particularly pertinent to the case and arguably one of the most shocking elements to consider, is that this was not just the case of a ‘man known to the victims’, as perpetrators of abuse typically are. Yes, he was known to his victims, but these offences were also committed by a Police Officer.
In fact, at the time of his offending, Provan was a serving Met officer. A role he held for some 16 years prior to being dismissed in 2019 after his offending came to light.
This is not new to us sadly.
Many of us will be able to reflect back on March 2021. The UK was in the midst of its third national lockdown when the disappearance of Sarah Everard captured the nation’s attention. Her case ultimately revealed a shocking truth. Serving Metropolitan Police Officer Wayne Couzens had used his authority to abduct and murder an innocent woman. The case sparked a national outrage regarding the safety of women in public spaces as well as violence towards women.
The fact is that these cases are particularly shocking precisely because they are police officers. Do the Police not exist to protect us? To keep us safe from offenders, not to embody them. The fact then that men like Provan, like Couzens, who are capable of engaging in such malevolent acts have made their way into this profession means we need to pay attention.
Why we must pay attention to cases like this
It must be said that most people who enter the police force do so with the genuine intent to serve and protect. We must remember too that police officers, those who do the job for all the right reasons and who uphold a role of integrity and ethical practice; have too shown the same disgust that ‘one of their own’, has done these atrocious things.
Furthermore, lest we forget that it was also police officers who showed exceptional deductive powers and passion for solving these very crimes.
What cases like this demonstrate, however, is a calculated abuse of power of the minority. The dangerous minority.
Policing, by its nature, is a role which holds authority, discretion, and the ability to control situations. When that power is placed in the wrong hands, it can become a dangerous weapon.
Provan for example manipulated victims through his position, assuming that his status would protect him. He even relied on the perception that officers are there to uphold the law, not break it. It’s this mask that he cleverly used which allowed him to evade scrutiny for years, highlighting those systemic failings in regards to reporting, ethical practice, accountability and recruitment within the police force.
Psychological Underpinnings: Why do some officers offend?
As a Chartered Psychologist specialising in criminal behaviour, I have studied multiple cases of police officers who have crossed the line into serious criminality, including rape and murder. The question I’m often asked is: Why would a police officer commit such heinous crimes? This is often followed by, ‘Would they choose the job because of their criminal tendencies or did they become criminal once they entered the police?’.
These are valid questions and there’s a lot we can do to make sense of this. That includes looking at the key features of the job and what kind of people are attracted to the role and for what reasons.
Motivation, power and control
Police officers have an authority granted to them by law. It means they have power to do things like arrest, stop and search and they can do things like ‘use necessary force’. This can give a deep sense of power and control. This paired with a uniform provides not just authority, but also a level of perceived immunity. It also begs the question of how one is able to detach from those feelings just because they may take their uniform off at the end of the day. Indeed, can they?
Many offending officers also exhibit traits consistent with narcissistic entitlement and a lack of empathy - key psychological traits often seen in serial offenders. Furthermore in some cases, like Provan’s, offenders can develop predatory patterns in their behaviour. Deliberately selecting victims who are vulnerable or who they believe will not be believed if they come forward. Also being skilled in things like investigative interviewing, interrogation, physical de-escalation techniques and weapons training, it is no surprise then that those who are in fact corrupt, will use whatever they have access to, to get what they want and advance their own agenda.
Police hierarchy and structure
Policing is a profession built on hierarchy, loyalty, and a sense of internal solidarity. When people with good intentions and a genuine passion for upholding the law enter an environment like this, it can contribute to a force for good. However, there will always be those, like Provan who take advantage of the protected status this kind of role affords.
Numerous research studies have focussed on ‘Police Culture’ and brought to scrutiny practices that enable things like toxic masculinity and abuse of power not to mention issues related to racism and homophobia. It can also lend itself to environments where misconduct is ignored or excused; especially when like attracts like, and those with the same toxic behaviours will seek to ‘find their own’ within the force which will further their sense of camaraderie and protected status.
When this happens ‘good’ officers may hesitate to report colleagues, fearing backlash, disbelief or even bullying. This kind of behaviour further contributes to general acceptance of this way of being and also allows offenders like Provan to operate unchecked for years; harming multiple victims before facing justice. In fact, one of Provan’s victims was a colleague who struggled to come forward for fear of being believed.
Cops Gone Bad: Exploring the reality behind the cases
These themes and many more are explored in depth in Cops Gone Bad, a seven-part documentary series I worked on for the Crime+Investigation channel with ITN Productions.
The series, presented by Will Mellor, examines police officers who have committed a series of serious violent crimes, with each episode highlighting a different case. Alongside other experts in the field, we break down patterns of behaviour, the manipulation of systems, and the warning signs that were missed. I also help to deconstruct their psychological profiles and the circumstances that allowed them to offend.
What emerges is a disturbing yet important conversation about the dangers of unchecked authority and the mechanisms that must be put in place to prevent such crimes.
Education, reform and supporting the victims
The case of Adam Provan, along with others examined in the series, underscores the urgent need for police reform, something which is discussed. More rigorous vetting and recruitment, better psychological screening, and an overhaul of police culture contribute to aiding the internal reporting of peers. Good officers need to know they are being supported too if things are to change. My hope is also that victims who watch the series can see that support and help are available to them. That they will be believed and that if they can find the strength, as the survivors in the series show us, they too can receive the protection and justice they deserve.
The public relies on police officers to provide safety, but that trust is shattered when those very individuals become predators. I believe that Cops Gone Bad not only sheds light on these cases but also sparks important discussions about the changes needed to prevent future abuses. By understanding the psychology of these offenders, we can begin to identify risks before they escalate - and ensure that the power given to police officers is never again used as a weapon against the people they are meant to protect.
The new series of Cops Gone Bad will be available on Crime+Investigation from Monday, 17th February.
