Gross misconduct hearing concludes two former British Transport Police officers in East Sussex would have been dismissed from the force had they still been serving
A gross misconduct hearing has concluded that two former British Transport Police (BTP) officers who were based in East Sussex would have been dismissed from the force had they still been serving.
The hearing followed a voluntary referral by BTP to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) relating to the sharing of offensive and inappropriate messages in a WhatsApp group chat.
A spokesperson for the BTP said: “Former Police Sergeant Trevor Waller, based in Brighton, and another former officer, who was granted anonymity by the independent Chair, were found to have breached the police standards of professional behaviour.
“The IOPC’s investigation focused on messages sent between BTP officers on the WhatsApp group between April and August 2023.
“Both former officers were found to have made several inappropriate, derogatory, and offensive comments about vulnerable members of the public, including comments about a 15-year-old and individuals experiencing mental health crises.
“Derogatory comments were also made about their BTP colleagues, which the panel found could amount to bullying.
“The panel found the actions of former officer PS Waller and the former officer amounted to gross misconduct and both would have been dismissed from the force if they were still serving.
“Two other officers, PC Le Cappelain and former PC Hunter, who were part of the same WhatsApp group, were dismissed from the force earlier this year by the Chief Constable following an Accelerated Misconduct Hearing.”
Detective Superintendent Brett Walker, Head of BTP’s Professional Standards Department, added: “The foul messages exchanged by these two former officers showed they had no respect for the public they’re supposed to serve, or indeed their colleagues.
“We expect our officers to uphold the highest standards of conduct and behaviour. These two fell far short of those expectations with their decision to send offensive malicious, disgraceful messages.
“It is only right that they would have been dismissed from the force had they still been serving. There is simply no place in policing for individuals like these”.