Ex-West Mercia Police Federation official convicted for expenses fraud
Jamie Harrison misused members' funds for personal expenses
Jamie Harrison, a former police officer and treasurer of West Mercia Police Federation, has been found guilty of committing fraud amounting to £13,500.
Harrison, 55, from Droitwich held the position of secretary and treasurer for the Federation from 2010 to 2018.
During this time, he utilised the petty cash under his control to pay for personal expenses, including food, alcohol, and entertainment.
To avoid detection, he kept his fraudulent claims under £100.
In total, over 100 such claims were identified.
Additionally, Harrison falsely claimed salary for days when he was not working, evidenced by text messages revealing absences for rugby trips abroad to Italy and Ireland, and time spent tending his allotment.
Despite these absences, his timesheets falsely recorded full working shifts.
Harrison's misuse of Federation funds extended to National Police Memorial Days, which he exploited for family holidays.
His family stayed at 4 and 5-star hotels across York, Cardiff, Edinburgh, and London, charging accommodation, meals, and day trips to the Federation's funds.
Harrison was convicted of 15 counts of fraud by abuse of position at Hereford Crown Court.
He resigned from his post in West Mercia Police in February 2022.
Victoria Norman from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "As a police officer and Federation treasurer, Jamie Harrison was in a position of considerable trust and was expected to act with honesty and integrity.
“Instead, he exploited his control over WMPF's finances for personal gain and behaved in a thoroughly dishonest way during the entire eight years of his tenure.
“Harrison displayed an extremely cavalier attitude to being caught, dipping into petty cash at will, claiming expenses far beyond what was reasonable and falsifying timesheets.
“His entitled and dishonest behaviour ran counter to everything he should have stood for as a public servant and was total betrayal of the colleagues whose subscriptions funded the Police Federation, who trusted that their money would be used appropriately.
"The Crown Prosecution Service is determined to bring to justice those public servants who commit fraud and abuse positions of trust."
Detective Superintendent Tony Garner from West Mercia police said: “Jamie Harrison chose to act for himself. He took advantage of the position as Treasurer and Secretary within the Police Federation to use member’s funds for his own gain. This was a betrayal of the trust placed in him by both the public and his colleagues.
“His actions amounted to criminal behaviour, and an investigation was carried out, without fear or favour, as the public would rightly expect.”