Three cops have been suspended over allegations of sharing misogynistic, racist and homophobic messages.
Gwent Police stated the trio had been suspended after the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) started an investigation.
The watchdog stated the serving officers have been underneath investigation for misconduct over claims of sharing offensive messages.
The inquiry was launched following a Sunday Times investigation right into a cellphone owned by ex-sergeant Ricky Jones.
The handset was allegedly discovered to include offensive message exchanges between him and former colleagues.
Racist photographs, pornographic movies and delicate details about misconduct and corruption investigations have been among the many materials exchanged, stated the newspaper.
The IOPC stated it had requested additional info from Gwent Police in relation to the alleged involvement of former officers within the sharing of messages who might be included within the operation.
A separate investigation into complaints from Jones’ household associated to Gwent Police’s dealing with of its investigation into his dying and officers’ contact along with his relations will proceed to be managed by Wiltshire Police.
The household have referred to as for the creation of a brand new organisation to assist these dealing with home abuse by the hands of serving officers.
Jones’ widow and daughter have stated they suffered years of coercive management by him however felt unable to report it to police due to his hyperlinks to the pressure.
Speaking to Sky News, his widow Sharon and daughter Emma, whose names have been modified, stated extra must be performed to assist those that really feel unable to report home abuse.
“I was trapped,” stated Sharon.
“Wherever and whenever I went to any organisation, they would just always refer me back to the police.”
Catrin Evans, IOPC director for Wales, stated: “I recognise that many people will find the messages aired in the public domain, apparently shared among police officers, highly disturbing.
“After publication of the nationwide newspaper article, we formally wrote to the Chief Constable of Gwent Police requesting they supply us with info to determine the chain of occasions and choices taken in relation to the household’s complaints, and any conduct issues. We had not beforehand acquired a referral from the pressure on any of those issues.
“On the basis of our assessment of the conduct referrals received so far, we have decided that an independent investigation is essential to maintain public confidence.
“We will probably be investigating the alleged involvement of a lot of serving Gwent Police officers in sharing offensive messages.
“We will keep the involvement of any further serving and former officers under review as more information comes to light.
“We might want to progress a full obtain of information from the cellphone of Mr Ricky Jones. I might ask for persistence whereas we undertake our enquiries as swiftly and completely as attainable.”
Source: information.sky.com”