Former Northamptonshire officer messaged sex worker on police phone
The officer resigned before a hearing that would have led to their dismissal
A former Northamptonshire Police officer would have been dismissed following a gross misconduct hearing today, after allegations of inappropriate communication with a sex worker.
The officer, whose identity remains anonymous, resigned before attending the hearing chaired by Chief Constable Ivan Balhatchet.
Accusations against the officer involved exchanging messages on two occasions with numbers associated with a sex worker, seeking to use their services, contrary to police guidelines.
The officer's actions were found to breach the standards of professional behaviour in terms of discreditable conduct.
Chief Constable Balhatchet found the officer's behaviour to risk involvement in the exploitation of vulnerable individuals, despite not engaging in any further criminal activity.
The Chief Constable stated, "The officer has deliberately enquired into the availability of sex work, placing himself at risk of committing a criminal offence had he taken further steps to arrange a meeting."
He further noted, "This conduct relates to obviously vulnerable individuals, which the officer must have been aware of due to the training he received as well as his own knowledge of the world."
Had the officer still been serving, Chief Constable Balhatchet determined that dismissal without notice was the appropriate outcome due to the serious nature of the misconduct, which could undermine public trust in the police.