Two former police officers have had gross misconduct allegations proven against them.
Two former police officers, known only as ‘PC A’ and ‘PC B’ have has allegations proven against them following a joint misconduct hearing held in public.
The officers did not attend the hearing led by an independent legally qualified chair to face allegations that their conduct amounted to a breach of various standards of professional behaviour police said via their website.
On Wednesday, 1 September the decision from the panel stated that, had they still been serving officers, both would have been dismissed without notice.
The first former officer, ‘PC A’ had allegations that he breached standards of behaviour in respect of authority, respect and courtesy; discreditable conduct; equality and diversity; orders and instruction; and honesty and integrity.
‘PC A’ behaved inappropriately towards a colleague by sending them inappropriate text messages, asking personal questions regarding their sex life and then harassing and bullying them at work.
After this, the former ‘PC A’ sent a series of text/WhatsApp messages to colleagues suggesting he may harm the colleague following after they had reported the messages.
In a separate incident, former ‘PC A’ sent a series of messages to former ‘PC B’ that were inappropriate for a police officer because they contained derogatory comments about women.
Additionally, in November 2014 at a Christmas party former ‘PC A’ used a racially offensive word repeatedly in conversation and sent a number of messages using inappropriate and offensive language.
An examination of his phone revealed that it contained a number of offensive images and comments.
Former ‘PC B’ faced allegations that he breached standards of behaviour in respect of equality and diversity; authority, respect and courtesy; and discreditable conduct.
Former ‘PC A’ was dismissed without notice from the Met in June 2019 at a Special Case Hearing after being convicted of a criminal offence. As such he was already on the Police Barred List.
Former ‘PC B’ resigned from the Met in May 2019 before he could be served with a notice. He will now be placed on the Police Barred List.
Commander Paul Betts, from the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards said: “The actions of these two former officers are appalling and completely at odds with our values and the high standards we strive for and which the public rightly expect from us. I welcome the outcome today that had they still been serving officers, both would have been dismissed without notice.”
Detective Chief Superintendent Owain Richards, in charge of policing for Central West, said: “I fully condemn the actions of these two former officers who have behaved deploringly and fallen well below the high standards expected of our officers and staff.”
Source: Met Police