We were updating the site with usual Police Deviants and feeling angry but nowhere near as angry as we felt after reading how Sussex Police failed this honourable Police Officer Doug Franks:
Doug Franks, a 43-year-old Sussex Police Constable, was discovered deceased at his residence in Lee-on-the-Solent, Hampshire, on February 10, 2021, by his grandpa, prompting enquiries about police welfare training.
The Portsmouth Coroner’s Court was informed that the officer was apprehensive about losing his employment due to the misconduct investigation.
Assistant coroner Robert Simpson stated that upon the service of documents to PC Doug Franks, he exhibited an emotional response but then restored his composure and conducted himself professionally.
“There were no excessive apprehensions regarding Doug’s well-being.”
However, he remarked: “Doug Franks was apprehensive about job security and oscillated between anger and distress to a more composed and progressive mindset.”
PC Doug Franks was subjected to a misconduct inquiry about a potential violation of Covid-19 regulations for seeing a colleague in a vehicle outside of work hours to finalise ‘job-related documentation,’ as previously reported by national newspapers.
The inquest revealed that PC Doug Franks experienced post-traumatic stress disorder following a nail-bomb attack in the 1990s, was prescribed antidepressants, and had previously undergone mental health therapy after many suicide attempts.
PC Doug Franks, a member of the Bognor Regis response team, was deemed fit for duty after occupational health evaluations, during which the coroner raised enquiries over police training and procedures, particularly concerning the inadequate dissemination of information within the force.
The prior history and past response of PC Franks to disciplinary actions had not been communicated to senior authorities.
Senior officers had not consulted the welfare officer’s recommendations after serving papers on PC Franks.
However, Mr. Simpson believed it would not have resulted in an other evaluation and, hence, did not play a role in his demise.
Nonetheless, the coroner expressed concerns regarding the new occupational health training protocols for both new and existing staff, as well as the dissemination of mental health information, noting the absence of a method for detecting these issues. Considerations were also made on the implementation of training for welfare officers.
He stated: “Neither Doug Franks’s line managers nor the designated welfare officer received information concerning Doug’s previous mental health history or his responses to prior initiation of disciplinary actions.”
The coroner stated he will await additional evidence from Sussex Police before determining whether to submit a report to prevent future fatalities.
The coroner, who determined the cause of death to be suicide, remarked on PC Doug Franks: “He was a valued friend to many, and his absence is profoundly felt.”
During a statement presented at the inquest court, PC Doug Franks’s girlfriend, Emma Neal, honoured her husband as a devoted father who ‘adored’ his son and took immense pleasure in his profession as a police officer.
Ms. Emma Neal, a consultant nurse, stated: “Doug Franks cherished his role as a police officer and found it immensely fulfilling to assist individuals who self-harmed or attempted suicide.”
She stated, “I am finding it difficult to understand what has transpired with him, and he is no longer part of my life.”
After the demise of PC Doug Franks, Sussex’s chief constable Jo Shiner remarked that he was a ‘well-liked colleague’ dedicated to both his son and his profession.
The chief constable stated: “Doug Franks was a highly regarded and esteemed colleague who achieved his aspiration of becoming a police officer upon joining Sussex Police in July 2019.”
He took pride in attaining independent patrol status and dedicated himself to ensuring the safety of individuals in Sussex.
“He enlisted in the force subsequent to his tenure as a financial investigator with the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit, where he cultivated robust friendships and was recognised for his infectious enthusiasm.”
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