COPS have been told not to hand out fixed penalty notices in stalking and harassment cases.
The guidelines come after the murder of 19-year-old Shana Grice by her stalker ex.
She complained about Michael Lane five times in six months but was fined for wasting police time.
Yesterday’s report by watchdog the Independent Office of Police Conduct also told Sussex Police to train staff properly, carry out risk assessments and communicate better.
The College of Policing and National Police Chiefs Council have also been told to make sure officers and staff improve skills.
Shana’s complaints case was closed before her pleas for help were properly investigated. In 2016 Lane slit her throat before trying to burn her body in Portslade, East Sussex. He was jailed in 2017 for a minimum of 25 years.
The sentencing judge said officers “stereotyped” Shana and failed to take her reports seriously.
Two of 14 officers and staff investigated by the IOPC were made the subject of publicly-held disciplinary proceedings.
Both left the force before the hearings took place.
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