A Derbyshire police officer has been sacked for sending inappropriate images to a member of the public.
But the specific details of the misconduct hearing case have not been released to the public, nor has the identity of the officer.
A private misconduct hearing was held on Friday (January 17) at Derbyshire Constabulary’s HQ offices in Ripley. This meant the press or public could not observe proceedings.
In December it was reported the “accelerated hearing” would be held in private and chaired by Derbyshire police Chief Constable Rachel Swann. The reason given for a private hearing was “due to other on-going police proceedings”.
During the hearing, the officer answered allegations that their conduct amounted to a breach of the Standards of Professional Behaviour – a code for which police officers across the UK must adhere to.
It was alleged and then found proven “the officer sent and received inappropriate images to/from a member of the public on more than one occasion”.
A short summary of the misconduct hearing has been published on the Derbyshire police website. But no specific minutes or a full report of what was said has been released.
It says: “The allegations were found proven and the outcome was dismissal without notice. The chair of the hearing – Chief Constable Rachel Swann, having received representations, determined that the hearing should be held in private due to other on-going police proceedings.”
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) approached Derbyshire police to get more details of the specific case but the force said it could not release details.
A Derbyshire police spokesperson said: “Officers are expected to uphold the highest standards and on this occasion this officer did not uphold those standards.”
Asked what the nature of the inappropriate images were and why the officer’s identity cannot be revealed, the spokesperson said: “Due to the ongoing proceedings we are unable to provide the name of the officer or provide a written outcome.
“The naming of the officer will be reviewed, as well as the publication of the outcome, once the proceedings have been concluded.”
Derbyshire police misconduct hearings can be held in public. According to its website a public hearing is to show that the force’s “disciplinary system is open and transparent”. It aims to demonstrate that the force holds officers who breach the standards of professional behaviour, or those where misconduct is found proven, accountable for their actions.
However, there can be private hearings if the force decides it is the best to depending on circumstances. The hearing’s chair takes into account issues including national security and whether it interferes with the prevention or detection of crime or the welfare of parties involved.
