Officer dismissed following public misconduct hearing

A Staffordshire Police officer who engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a member of the public has been dismissed without notice. 

DC Nicholas Pointon, who worked in the regional organised crime unit, was dismissed after a public misconduct hearing, chaired by an independent legally qualified person, found that his actions amounted to gross misconduct. 
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It was heard that Pointon engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a member of the public with whom he came into contact with during the course of his duties. He also viewed information held on police systems for a non-policing purpose, made a dishonest entry into his pocket notebook entry, used a police vehicle for a non-policing purpose to visit the member of the public, took an unauthorised absence from duty in order to visit the member of public, and deleted contents of his mobile phone prior to it being seized.  
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Deputy Chief Constable Emma Barnett, said: “DC Pointon clearly and persistently set out to pursue a member of the public who he came into contact during the course of his duties, abusing his position to try to form a relationship. The public expects police officers to maintain exemplary standards of contact, integrity and professionalism and DC Pointon fell far short of this and undermined trust and confidence in policing so it is right that he is dismissed from the service.”