Cambridgeshire police officer dismissed over offensive social media posts
PC Greg Langham, who was based at Parkside Police Station, was found to have breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour
Last updated 11th Feb 2025
A police officer has been dismissed without notice after a misconduct hearing found he had made discriminatory comments on social media over a period of nine months.
PC Greg Langham, who was based at Parkside Police Station, was found to have breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour in the areas of Authority, Respect and Courtesy, Equality and Diversity, Orders and Instructions, and Discreditable Conduct. A hearing on Friday, 7 February, chaired by Chief Constable Nick Dean, concluded his actions amounted to gross misconduct, resulting in his immediate dismissal.
The investigation uncovered a series of social media posts and videos made from October 2023 to June 2024. The posts contained offensive language and comments, including racist remarks and inflammatory statements about individuals with protected characteristics. Some posts targeted vulnerable communities, including those within the immigration system. The misconduct hearing determined that the posts were unacceptable and had caused reputational harm to the police service.
Chief Constable Nick Dean said: “The comments made by PC Langham were unacceptable, simply offensive and have no part to play in policing.
“The police service and the public expect all officers and staff to act in a manner that does not bring discredit to the service or harm its reputation. They also expect that all officers act with the utmost professionalism and act with fairness and impartiality on and off duty.
“PC Langham was not an officer with limited experience and would have known that the actions he took would fall well below what is to be expected.”
The hearing assessed the seriousness of the misconduct, including the officer’s culpability and the harm caused. It found that the posts had a significant impact on public confidence in the police, particularly given the current scrutiny of policing standards. Chief Constable Dean noted that the content of the posts left “no doubt” about the officer’s views and emphasised that Langham had acted alone over a sustained period without external pressure.
Despite mitigating factors, including an apology and a previously unblemished career, the hearing determined that dismissal was the only appropriate outcome. The decision also means Langham will be placed on the College of Policing’s barred list, preventing him from returning to the profession.
Chief Constable Dean concluded: “I have fully considered the sanctions available to me and what would be proportionate with regards to this specific case. My determination is that the least severe outcome that deals adequately with the issues identified whilst maintaining public confidence is that you are dismissed without notice.”