Police cleared over selection of youth tsar

The selection of the UK’s first youth crime tsar, who quit over offensive comments made on Twitter, was “robust, transparent and very well-designed”, a review has found.

By The Newsroom

Published 5th Oct 2013, 01:01 BST

Paris Brown was supposed to provide young people’s views on policing when she was appointed aged 17 to the £15,000-a-year post in Kent. She stepped down after police seized her mobile phone to investigate tweets claimed to be homophobic, racist and violent.

The teenager, from Sheerness, was cleared last April when Kent Police said no further action would be taken.

Kent police and crime commissioner Ann Barnes commissioned a review by the University of Central Lancashire amid questions about the selection and recruitment process. This found that Miss Brown’s social media sites had not been checked but she had been questioned about them by a “peer panel” before selection.

Ms Barnes said: “I take responsibility for this. Lessons have been learnt and it’s now time to move on and recruit for this important role.”