In debt? Seek advice…

Bedfordshire Police Federation’s secretary Emma Carter has urged officers to seek help if they are experiencing money difficulties or debt.

Her appeal comes in the wake of the Channel 4 TV programme ‘24 Hours in Police Custody’ which showed a Bedfordshire officer being arrested, and eventually sentenced, for committing blackmail.

Emma tweeted: ‘If any @bedspolice officers are experiencing money difficulties or debt please come & speak to us in confidence to help advise you. Don’t leave yourself vulnerable, cause you issues at work or to your health.’

Officer Gareth Suffling (36) was sent to prison for three years for tracing and blackmailing a prostitute’s customer. He had written a letter demanding £1,000 to keep quiet.

His arrest was shown on Monday evening’s episode of the Channel 4 programme which films Bedfordshire officers on duty.

Bedfordshire’s Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said the programme illustrated how transparent the Force was when dealing with corruption.

“The programme marks, I think, a defining moment in British policing,” he said, “What is more transparent than letting our communities see who we are? On occasions, things happen that none of us want to happen and it’s incumbent on us to show our communities how we deal with it.”

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