Former Essex officer would have been sacked after testing positive for cocaine

Tony Hall, who resigned from his position, would have been dismissed had he remained in service

Author: Isabella HudsonPublished 23rd Apr 2026

A former Essex Police officer has been found to have committed gross misconduct after testing positive for cocaine.

Tony Hall, who resigned from his position, would have been dismissed had he remained in service, preventing him from re-joining any policing role.

Chief Constable Harrington chaired the hearing and affirmed the seriousness of the misconduct.

“It is utterly unacceptable for a police officer to take cocaine. Not only are they breaking the law, but they are also putting the public, themselves, and their colleagues at risk," Harrington said.

The case was prompted by information raising concerns about Hall's drug use, leading to a drug test conducted by the force.

Detective Superintendent Bonnie Moore, who leads the Essex Police Professional Standards team, reinforced the commitment to uphold integrity within the force.

“The overwhelming majority of police officers who live up to the standards we expect do not want their integrity questioned because of someone who has failed to show the same level of professionalism.

The people of Essex can be assured that we are actively identifying and rooting out those who deliberately let us all down.” Moore said.

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