An Avon and Somerset police officer has been removed from his post after allegations of gross misconduct were proven at a hearing held at police headquarters this week (Monday April 4). The former officer known as PC F was found guilty of breaching standards of honesty and integrity, dishonorable conduct, orders and instructions and confidentiality by a legally qualified president.
On numerous occasions between February 26, 2021 and July 12, 2021, PC F used police computer systems to search for his own name and address, as well as records relating to colleagues and others. When asked about the allegations in November 2021, the officer allegedly took a “dishonest” approach.
Superintendent Jane Wigmore, head of professional standards, said: ‘Police systems hold a large amount of sensitive information and there is a public expectation and legal obligation to treat this material with respect and in the strictest confidence.
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“Public confidence in the way the police handle private information has been affected as a result of this case. PC F received clear guidance during training that accessing this information without a legitimate law enforcement purpose constitutes an abuse of an officer’s position.
“The Misconduct Hearing Panel, headed by a legally qualified Independent Chairman, listened to all the evidence and found that the allegations of serious misconduct were substantiated and decided that the penalty should be summary dismissal.”
The news comes just weeks after news broke that a former sergeant bragged about taking cocaine and having sex with 1,000 women and sexually harassing colleagues during a drunken evening in Weston-super-Mare.
The officer – whose name has not been released to protect his health and that of his children – quit Avon and Somerset Police two days before a misconduct committee learned he had a reputation for being ‘touchy-feely’ and making ‘creepy’ comments dating back to at least 2015, when he received a verbal warning.
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Source: www.somersetlive.co.uk
This notice was published: 2022-04-05 23:01:00
