A trainee police officer was "set up to fail" according to one of his sergeants. Anugrah Abraham , known as Anu, was aged 21 when he was found dead in Radcliffe on March 4 last year. Anu, from Whitefield, was a trainee police officer with West Yorkshire Police (WYP), but had been struggling with the job and his associated university course.
The multiple-week inquest into his death has heard how he suffered "bullying", including being "b*******d" in front of his peers multiple times. On Monday, October 21, the inquest at Rochdale Coroners' Court heard how he had been placed on formal and informal "development plans" which were put in place due to him struggling at work. A formal development plan was in place when he was moved to the Halifax district, which is where he worked when he died.
Sgt Timothy Hanson, one of the WYP sergeants based at Anu's station, gave evidence at the hearing. Senior Coroner Joanne Kearsley asked him about a statement he previously gave where he said he "didn't agree" with officers coming to the district on a development plan. Sgt Hanson said: "I think it is setting them up to fail, such are the demands of being on patrol.
"In a safe learning environment, you can learn what you need to do. But when you are on patrol it is relentless demand, and then you are expecting someone to catch up." The coroner asked if he thought it was unfair to the team or the sergeants, to which he said it is "a little bit of everything, but mostly for the individuals".
Insp.
