Kent Police has condemned the IOPC’s investigation into the fatal shooting of Hayley Burke at her home, calling it flawed and incomplete.
Dartford: So, there’s been a lot of drama surrounding the tragic death of Hayley Burke. Kent Police is really upset with the IOPC’s investigation into the whole situation. They’re calling it “flawed” and saying it didn’t do justice to what happened.
Hayley was shot by her partner, Jacob Cloke, at her home. It’s heartbreaking. A neighbor had called 999 multiple times, warning that Cloke had a gun, but it seems the police didn’t act quickly enough.
Cloke, who was on bail at the time, ended up taking Hayley hostage before turning the gun on himself. The police control room manager, Inspector Thomas McCall, faced serious allegations after the incident, but a recent hearing cleared him of misconduct.
The panel that reviewed the case said the IOPC investigation should never have led to misconduct allegations against him. They felt the investigation was incomplete and missed key information.
It’s concerning that the police didn’t send armed officers right away, especially with all the warnings about Cloke’s gun. The panel pointed out that the whole process felt like a learning experience for everyone involved, which is pretty alarming.
Insp McCall admitted he could have made different choices that day, but he also said it’s tough to judge decisions made in the heat of the moment. He’s been with Kent Police for over two decades and has handled many serious incidents before.
As for the IOPC, they’re not taking the criticism lightly. They say they’ll review their investigation to see if they missed anything important. Meanwhile, the inquests for both Hayley and Cloke are still pending, so there’s more to come on this tragic story.
