Retired officer would have been dismissed had he not retired

An accelerated misconduct hearing found that a recently-retired police officer would have been dismissed without notice if he had not retired.

PC Richard White, 50, a Staffordshire Police officer who worked for the Central Motorways Police Group (CMPG), who retired in December 2022, was investigated last year. 
 
The hearing, which was held on Tuesday (17 January) found that he had breached police standards of authority, respect and courtesy, equality and diversity, orders and instructions, duties and responsibilities, confidentiality and discreditable conduct.

White sent two pornographic videos whilst on duty to another officer and sent inappropriate WhatsApp messages, some whilst on duty, of an offensive nature. He also shared police material with members of the public, retained police material without a policing purpose and whilst on duty took a member of the public for a drive in an unmarked police vehicle.
 
His actions were assessed by the panel, chaired by Chief Constable Chris Noble, and considered so serious as to constitute gross misconduct. 
 
White will now be placed on the national College of Policing’s Barred List preventing him from working within policing and other law enforcement bodies. 
 
Assistant Chief Constable Jennie Mattinson said: “We expect the highest standards from our officers and the actions of White fell far short of that expectation and that he would have been dismissed if he had not retired last month. 

“We recognise that the recent national headlines about conduct cases involving police officers and staff has a negative impact on our legitimacy and public confidence. 

“The vast majority of our officers are decent and hardworking. They perform their duties with the utmost professionalism and I am sure they all share my disgust at White’s, and others we’ve seen in the headlines, despicable betrayal of everything they stand for.

“Public trust is precious and our model of policing by consent cannot work effectively without it. 

“The impact of officers’ behaviour on how our communities trust and feel about us cannot be underestimated. The confidence of the public is dependent on policing, as a whole, fixing these issues with urgency, fully and for the long term. We are determined to do that.”