Former Sussex Police officer found to have associated with member of organised crime group
A former Sussex Police officer found to have consorted with a member of an organised crime group would have been dismissed if she was still serving.
Ex-PC Attia Tahir, 29, was the subject of a misconduct hearing held at Sussex Police headquarters on Tuesday (August 26), before a panel chaired by Assistant Chief Constable Tanya Jones.
The hearing heard it was alleged that the former officer had prolonged contact with a member of an organised crime group who was serving a custodial sentence, who she had known since 2015.
Sussex Police said the contact was captured in a number of phone calls between the pair while the member of the crime group was in prison.
The calls include racially aggravated remarks and collusion over criminal acts. Sussex Police said she had also failed to declare the criminal association in her police officer application or vetting forms.
Following an investigation directed by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), the panel found this behaviour breached the standards of professional behaviour in respect of discreditable conduct, honesty and integrity (failing to declare criminal associates) and equality and diversity (racially aggravated remarks) and amounted to gross misconduct.
The officer would have been dismissed without notice, had she not already resigned from the force. Sussex Police said she will now be added to the College of Policing Barred list which will prevent a return to policing.
Detective Superintendent Andy Wolstenholme, deputy head of the force Professional Standards Department, said: “I have no doubt Attia Tahir was well aware her relationship with this individual was unacceptable, and her failure to declare it has rightly been found to be a failure of honesty and integrity.
“The racially aggravated comments shared between the pair are also far removed from Sussex Police’s role as an anti-racist organisation and entirely unaligned with our culture and values.
“I am satisfied Tahir would have been removed from her role had she still been in post. Our work continues to clamp down on any behaviour from Sussex Police employees that falls below the standards the public deserve.”
Misconduct hearings are chaired by a police chief officer as amended by the Police (Conduct) (Amendment) Regulations 2024. This applies to cases where misconduct proceedings were issued on or after May 7, 2024.
The misconduct panel also comprises of two Independent Panel Members, appointed by the local policing body to allow for independence and impartiality during the proceedings from outside policing, representing the public.