Gross misconduct hearing outcome
In accordance with the Police Conduct Regulations we are required to publish the following information –
A gross misconduct disciplinary hearing was held by Northamptonshire Police at Force Headquarters on Monday, July 27 and Tuesday, July 28, 2026.
The former officer subject of the hearing, had previously been granted anonymity.
It was alleged that the former officer concerned:
Between June 15, 2020 and December 7, 2020, was a member of a WhatsApp group into which he sent a video which was inappropriate and/or denigrating and/or offensive, as it depicted a male being violently beaten to death. The former officer thereafter sent messages into the group which were inappropriate and/ or denigrating and/or offensive and/or discriminatory.
It was further alleged that, when other police officers, who were also members of the same WhatsApp group, used inappropriate, demeaning, denigrating, offensive, derogatory, and/or discriminatory language when referring to members of the public and colleagues, the former officer failed to challenge or report them for improper conduct.
It was alleged that the former officer concerned breached the standards of professional behaviour relating to:
- Honesty and Integrity (Integrity only)
- Authority Respect and Courtesy
- Equality and Diversity
- Discreditable Conduct
- Challenging and Reporting Improper Conduct
The former officer resigned from Northamptonshire Police during the investigation but attended the hearing, admitting all but two of the allegations.
The panel considered the available evidence and found the majority of the allegations proved to the level of Gross Misconduct noting “Having considered the allegations that the Panel found proven, specifically the offensive, demeaning, and sometimes discriminatory conduct of the FO towards females, including colleagues and persons with a disability, the Panel determined that the proportionate and appropriate conclusion that it could reach in the circumstances, namely to impose disciplinary action.
"The Panel determined that had the FO still been a serving police officer, the only proportionate and appropriate sanction to fulfil the purpose of misconduct proceedings would be to dismissal the FO.”