PC sacked for 'fabricating' abuse risk assessment

A police officer has been sacked after she "fabricated" the answers to a risk assessment of a woman who had reported domestic abuse.

PC Gemma Cumberlidge was employed by Derbyshire Police, but was dismissed without notice on 3 December 2025 after she was found guilty of gross misconduct.

Cumberlidge answered "no" to all answers on a Public Protection Notice (PPN) - which assesses risk and safeguarding - in the absence of the victim, recording the risk as "standard".

Two days later, the panel heard Cumberlidge seized pills during a stop and search of a teenager, but failed to fill out the relevant paperwork and said the male "had nothing on him".

Cumberlidge told the panel that the PPN was done incorrectly by error and was not intentional.

A report issued by Derbyshire Police following the hearing said Cumberlidge had said: "I hold myself to a high standard. I like to make sure that everything is done properly.

"I didn't on this occasion and it is so unlike me. Having not done that makes it so frustrating because I am better than that."

The panel heard Cumberlidge did not use the required bodyworn camera when the alleged domestic abuse victim attended Glossop Police Station in May 2024.

She then failed to properly question the women and did not ask her all of the required questions as part of "vital" safeguarding checks.

She put "no" as answers to most of the questions "without having answers from Person A [the alleged victim]", reports the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

LDRS said the hearing also found the officer failed to complete the stop and search exercise following a report to police that a young male was carrying a knife.

It was proven the officer failed to fill out the required search form following the physical check and did not officially record that she had seized the pills from the teenager or book them into property.

She had contacted management on her radio to say "this male has nothing on him", which the panel said was false and/or misleading.

Deputy Chief Constable Simon Blatchly said: "On two occasions she [PC Cumberlidge] was found to have acted in breach of the standards and that she was dishonest about her actions involving important safety processes.

"In particular, her lack of completion of a Public Protection Notice (PPN) was serious enough, without then fabricating the answers. A PPN is a vital document that allows both the victim and officers to fully understand the risk that may be posed and ensure that any relevant safeguarding is put in place.

"Acting in the manner that she did seriously breached the standards that we expect of officers and staff - to such an extent that the only appropriate sanction would be to dismiss her."

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