Officer sacked for sending offensive WhatsApp messages

A West Mercia Police officer has been sacked from the force after he sent offensive WhatsApp messages. 

Today (Wednesday 17 May) a Gross Misconduct Hearing upheld allegations that the officer, who cannot be named for legal reasons until next week due to a connected hearing and is known as Officer A, sent racist, homophobic and inappropriate memes and content on his personal mobile phone and had inappropriate, racist and offensive content on the work mobile phone issued to him.  

It was also found he engaged in conversations via social media messaging with another officer which contained racist and homophobic comments. The conversations included derogatory comments and discussed abhorrent violence. A connected misconduct hearing is taking place next week.   

Officer A also had material on his mobile phone that indicated far right tendencies. 

The hearing found he committed serious breaches of standards of professional behaviour in respect of authority, respect and courtesy; equality and diversity; discreditable conduct and challenging and reporting improper behaviour. 

The matter came to light in March 2021 and was assessed as gross misconduct and he was suspended from duty. 

Assistant Chief Constable Rachel Jones said: “There is simply no place in West Mercia Police for individuals who have racist, homophobic and offensive attitudes. As soon as these messages came to light action was taken and the officer suspended pending today’s hearing. We will continue to root out those whose views do not uphold our strong values of inclusion, equality and diversity and whose abhorrent behaviour has no place in policing.” 

Officer A, who was a sergeant based in Telford, will now be added to the College of Policing Barred List, preventing him from ever working in UK policing in the future. 

ISSUED: EH, Corporate Communications.