WIREDGOV

A Met Police officer who passed on confidential information to embassy staff without a policing purpose has been dismissed from the force, following an investigation directed by the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

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 and will be placed on the police barred list.

We began our investigation in February 2020 following a referral from the force. Investigative enquiries were carried out by officers from the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards under our direction.

The 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.

Our 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.

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.”

A disciplinary panel, led by a legally-qualified chair, this week 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.