Former police officer banned for off-duty discriminatory comments
The former Sergeant made the comments at a team event in 2024
A former Sergeant with Avon and Somerset Police has been barred from working in policing again after being found to have acted in a discriminatory manner while off-duty.
A two-day misconduct hearing into the behaviour of former Sgt Edward Ryan was told that he had made a transphobic comment during a discussion about a television show at a team social event in Bristol in April 2024.
At the same event, he also made multiple inappropriate sexualised comments and gestures relating to a woman he knew outside of work.
The comments were made in public in front of colleagues, and were reported to the force's Professional Standards Department within 48 hours.
The panel concluded the allegations that Sgt Ryan had breached the standards of professional behaviour had been proven and they amounted to gross misconduct.
It ruled Sgt Ryan would have been dismissed without notice, if he had not retired in August 2024.
A/Det Supt Will Thorpe, from the Professional Standards Department, said: “Sgt Ryan’s inappropriate behaviour and comments understandably shocked and appalled the police colleagues who were with him at the time.
“Those other officers did the right thing in reporting what had happened. Their concerns have been treated seriously and have paved the way for us to taking action against this former officer.
“The public, rightly, expect officers to hold the highest standards of professionalism. This expectation applies equally to a person being on-duty, as well as off-duty.
“Sgt Ryan’s conduct will inevitably negatively impact the public’s confidence in policing.
“We hope the positive action taken by colleagues to report what happened, and the decision to prohibit him from working within law enforcement in future, sends a powerful message that there is no place in policing for anyone who displays discriminatory behaviour.”