FOI 439225
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 439225
I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 24th October 2025. Please find below the response to your request:
Please provide the following information for the years 2022, 2023, 2024 and the available information for 2025:
(a) For each disciplined police officer, please describe briefly what happened.
(b) If the police officer was writing offensive messages/posts, please disclose copies of these messages/posts.
(c) If the police officer was sharing offensive posts, please disclose copies of these posts.
2) Please indicate the number of police officers that were dismissed for their conduct on WhatsApp and / or other social media sites.
(a) For each dismissed police officer, please describe briefly what happened.
(b) If the police officer was writing offensive messages/posts, please disclose copies of these messages/posts.
(c) If the police officer was sharing offensive posts, please disclose copies of these posts.
Reply
West Mercia Police hold the information requested.
|
Case Finalised Year |
Officer |
Description |
Outcome (CTA = Case to Answer) |
Disciplined |
|
2022 |
001 |
Inappropriate image shared on Facebook. |
CTA - Written Warning |
Yes |
|
2023 |
002 |
Belonged to a WhatsApp group, officers alleged to have sent messages and/or attachments to this group that have been assessed as being discriminatory and/or offensive and/or otherwise having the potential to offend from their personal mobile telephone. |
CTA - Written Warning |
Yes |
|
2023 |
005 |
Officer has received and shared a number of what are perceived to be 'racist' images/gifs etc via social media (WhatsApp). |
CTA - Dismissal |
Yes |
|
2024 |
006 |
WhatsApp message sent containing homophobic comments |
CTA - Written Warning |
Yes |
|
2025 |
007 |
Personal phone seized in relation to another investigation. Phone contained prohibited images of a racist and offensive images. |
CTA - Dismissal for other conduct |
Yes |
|
2025 |
008 |
Sent a meme to a WhatsApp group that was racist and derogatory to ethnic minorities and disabled people on personal mobile phone. |
CTA - Dismissal |
Yes |
|
2025 |
009 |
Personal phone seized in relation to another investigation. Officer has sent/received memes and messages that are grossly offensive due them being discriminative due to race and sexual orientation. |
CTA - Dismissal for other conduct |
Yes |
Regarding the request for site of these messages the following exemption applies
Your request for information has been considered in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (“the Act”), and I am not obliged to provide the information requested.
The following exemption is applicable to the information requested:
- S.40(2) – Personal information
S.40(2) is an absolute, class-based exemption and therefore there is no requirement to evidence harm or conduct a public interest test
This exemption is engaged where disclosure of information relates to personal data of a third party or could lead to the identification of an individual, either from that information alone or combined with other information from within the Police Service or public domain. In this case, the information you are requesting is personal data of a third party.
Such a disclosure would breach an individual’s rights under the Data Protection Act 2018, in particular Article 5(1) of the UK GDPR which states that personal data shall be processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner in relation to the data subject. Such a disclosure would also be likely to breach s.8 Human Rights Act 1998 which states that everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence.
In accordance with s.17(1) of the Act, this acts as a Refusal Notice.