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A senior North Yorkshire Police officer is under investigation over claims they may have "committed, or witnessed and failed to report, a criminal offence", the police watchdog said.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said its inquiry into the unnamed officer would also look at whether the officer had subsequently "knowingly failed to disclose information during a number of vetting processes".

No details of the alleged criminal offence have been released.

The IOPC said the officer, who has been suspended from duty, was also being investigated for potential gross misconduct relating to alleged breaches of the police standards of professional behaviour.

An IOPC spokesperson said the officer had been referred by North Yorkshire Police on 30 April.

IOPC Regional Director Catherine Bates said: “These are serious allegations and it is important that we carry out a thorough investigation to determine the facts. This will be carried out by the IOPC, entirely independently of the police.

“However, I would stress that these remain allegations at this time and this does not necessarily mean that criminal charges or disciplinary proceedings will follow.

“At the end of the investigation, we will decide whether to refer a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service for a charging decision, and also decide whether the officer should face disciplinary proceedings.”

A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: "We made a referral to the IOPC on 30 April 2024, and the officer has been suspended from duty.

"It would not be appropriate to comment further due to the IOPC's ongoing investigation."

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