Seven wayward copspenalised in NW

One wayward officer had to resign, three were fined and one was cautioned for various misconduct offences.

And in the last three years, two officers attached to G District resigned prior to a misconduct hearing taking place.

The revelation follows a report in last month’s Sentinel that revealed how the PSNI had sacked dozens of officers across Northern Ireland over the past three years for various misconduct including drinking, brawling, drug-using, drunken gun possession, an alleged sex offence and making false entries on police forms.

The police advised the Sentinel: “Five officers attached to G District appeared before a misconduct hearing in the last three years. The range of sanctions imposed were as follows: requirement to resign/dismissal x1; monetary penalty x3; reprimand/caution x1.

“In the last three years, two officers attached to G District resigned prior to a misconduct hearing taking place.”

Misconduct hearings affecting a total of 96 officers were conducted between 2009 and 2011 across the entire force, whilst a further 22 hearings are scheduled to be heard where officers have been permitted to resign prior to proceedings taking place.

At least 15 officers have been sacked or “permitted to resign” (dismissal with notice) over the three years.

Last year one officer was dismissed for allegedly perverting the course of justice. Three others were sacked for being drunk in charge of a vehicle whilst another was allowed to go after being discovered to be “unfit for duty.”

In 2010 mileage fraud, a failure to conduct a fair and thorough investigation, acts of dishonesty, allegations of misconduct and false entries on police forms prompted a string of compulsory resignations.

And in 2009 errant officers were dismissed for a fraudulent finance application, an assault occasioning actual bodily harm, an assault and disorderly behaviour, a failure to conduct a prompt and thorough investigation and drunkenness in possession of a firearm and domestic incident.

The Sentinel tried to find out how many officers in the North West were involved and how they had breached the police misconduct code.

But the PSNI said it could not provide details of the misconduct by local officers as there was a danger officers involved would be known to their “colleagues in Foyle, G District, across the organisation, and known to certain members of the public.”

In a statement released to the Sentinel the PSNI said: “The information requested relates to police officers’ ‘sensitive personal data’ i.e. their disciplinary record which is processed to ascertain or decide something about those individuals.

“Additionally and importantly there is the potential to identify someone from the data either through a comparison of what is already available.”

Province-wide a number of further hearings regarding misconduct by officers over the three years have yet to be heard although resignations have also taken place.

The hearings will concern positive drugs test; dishonest behaviour off-duty; harassment; sexual offence; breach of confidentiality regarding police information; excess alcohol; motoring offences/failure to secure police property; misconduct in public office; GBH; failure in investigations; refusal to comply with service policy regarding substance misuse test; and inappropriate language/behaviour towards colleagues and member of the public.

The information was released to the public by the police after a Freedom of Information request.

A further 25 officers have been suspended (at a cost to the public purse of over half-a-million pounds) for a variety of offences.

The PSNI has stated: “The ranks of these officers are one Inspector, three Sergeants, twenty Constables and one Constable part-time.

“The range of alleged offences are as follows: Assault, excess alcohol, neglect of duty, false accounting, misconduct in public office, theft, harassment, firearms offence, fitness for duty, drug offence, fraud, criminal damage.

“The longest suspension is seven years and two months. The total amount handed out in pay to these officers is £697,671.62 (information provided by PSNI Pay Branch).