Officer dismissed after passing confidential information to embassy staff
An officer who passed on confidential information to embassy staff without a policing purpose has been dismissed following an investigation directed by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) officer, through their role as a community engagement officer, had been in contact with the Algerian Embassy for a policing purpose as part of an investigation in early 2019.
However, the IOPC investigation found that between March 2019 and December 2020, the officer failed to report or record that he continued to have contact with embassy officials, with their line managers unaware of the continued contact.
It also found that between March and June in 2019, the officer passed on information, which they had accessed from police systems, to embassy staff about protests and protestors without a policing purpose.
Investigators also discovered that in 2019, the officer viewed police records relating to a neighbour on multiple occasions without a legitimate purpose.
“At the conclusion of the investigation, we decided the officer should face a disciplinary hearing for potential breaches of the police standards of professional behaviour,” the IOPC said.
Following a disciplinary hearing which concluded this week, the officer – who was granted anonymity by the legally qualified chair – was found to have committed gross misconduct.
The panel ruled the officer will be dismissed without notice after they were found to have breached the standards of professional behaviour relating to confidentiality; orders and instructions; integrity; and duties and responsibilities.
The officer, who has been suspended from duty since the matters came to light in March 2020, will be also placed on the police barred list.
The IOPC investigation began in February 2020 following a referral from the force.
IOPC Operations Director Steve Noonan said: “Police officers are put in positions of trust where they have access to confidential and sensitive information.
“Viewing police records without having a legitimate reason and passing confidential information on to third parties is unacceptable and damages the public’s trust in police officers.”
Commander Katie Lilburn, head of the MPS’s Directorate of Professional Standards, said: “Everyone who works in our organisation knows that police systems must only be used when there is a legitimate reason for doing so and this officer’s behaviour was completely unacceptable.
“Honesty and integrity are at the heart of everything we do and we will identify and hold to account those who do not meet these values.”