Gross misconduct proven against West Yorkshire Police officer for forming inappropriate relationship with suspected drug dealer

A West Yorkshire Police officer has been dismissed with immediate effect following an investigation directed by the Independent Office of Police Conduct’s Anti-Corruption Unit into her relationship with a suspected drug dealer.

The woman, who cannot be named due to an anonymity order put in place by the chair of the panel, was sacked at the end of a five-day disciplinary hearing. It began on 13 October, with the panel finding the case against her proven at the level of gross misconduct.

She was found to have formed an inappropriate relationship with the man, which she failed to report in accordance with the WYP policy on notifiable associations; failed to properly investigate incidents involving him; lied about the nature of their relationship to colleagues; and ignored instructions not to have further contact with him.

At the hearing, she was found to have breached the police professional standards of behaviour relating to honesty and integrity; duties and responsibilities; orders and instructions; confidentiality and discreditable conduct.

IOPC Director Emily Barry said: “The officer’s actions were corrupt and inexcusable. The public expects police officers to catch criminals, not help them.

“Her actions let down her colleagues by prioritising her relationship with a drug dealer over them, and her duty to uphold the law.

“Her behaviour has no place in policing and thanks to a thorough investigation by WYP’s Counter Corruption Unit, under the direction of the IOPC’s Anti-Corruption Unit, she will never work in policing again. The outcome sends a clear message that any officer who conducts themselves in such a way will face serious consequences and will be held to account.”

The IOPC received a referral from West Yorkshire Police in November 2022. We subsequently directed an investigation, which was carried out by the force’s Counter Corruption Unit.

The officer failed to notify the force of her first contact with the man, which saw her provide him with her telephone number while off duty. Through her duties as a police officer, the woman had actively targeted him as a suspected drug dealer for a considerable time, prior to providing him with her number.

Under the Police (Conduct) Regulations, officers are required to declare any personal contact with criminals to their force in order to prevent any potential conflict of interest and to maintain public confidence in the police.

The man has since been convicted of multiple counts in connection with the supply of controlled substances and is serving an eight-year prison sentence.

She then formed an inappropriate personal relationship with him, knowingly placing herself in a compromising position by sharing intimate images with him.

The officer was also involved in multiple incidents involving the man. On one occasion in July 2022, she responded to reports of him dealing drugs. After the man left the scene, she searched the area but reported she could not find him.

The investigation found she failed to record the incident, conduct arrest enquiries, mark her body-worn video as evidential, submit an intelligence report or take any other action in relation to the incident.

The investigation found evidence that after West Yorkshire Police’s Professional Standards department became aware of her relationship with the man, the officer was dishonest when describing the extent of their relationship.

She was subsequently ordered to cease contact with the man but repeatedly breached those restrictions.

Following the hearing that concluded on Friday (17 October), she was dismissed without notice and will also be placed on the policing barred list.