Former Bedfordshire officer guilty of misconduct for abusing position
The panel found the former officer would have been sacked had they not already resigned
A former Bedfordshire police officer has been found guilty of gross misconduct after abusing their position to maintain inappropriate contact with a vulnerable individual, following a safeguarding incident.
An Accelerated Misconduct heard the former officer's conduct involved contacting a female expressing suicidal ideation after attending a welfare incident on 31st July 2019.
The officer proceeded to make twenty-six calls over seven weeks, predominantly off-duty, retaining her contact information for personal use.
Chairing the hearing, Assistant Chief Constable Vaughan Lukey found the actions were deliberate breaches of police standards, including honesty and integrity, confidentiality, and discreditable conduct.
"There is a clear imbalance of power between police and public, which is exacerbated in cases involving vulnerable women and police officers”, said ACC Lukey.
Adding: “The Former Officer’s gross misconduct damages public trust and makes the job of those who continue to do their best to serve the public, more challenging.”
Despite opportunities to address the allegations, the former officer resigned on 6th February 2026 ‘without engaging fully with the investigation’. The hearing proceeded in their absence under the guidelines for public safety and accountability.
ACC Lukey said: “I have seen no evidence of remorse or insight on behalf of the Former Officer.”
The hearing determined that if had the officer been serving, they would be dismissed without notice.
The panel recommended the former officer be placed on the college of policing barred list to protect the community and uphold the integrity of the service.