On-duty police officer ignored emergency call

A police officer who ignored a nearby emergency call while on duty – as well as turning his radio off while visiting a colleague he was in a relationship with – would have been dismissed had he not already resigned, a misconduct panel has found.

An Essex Police hearing found that former Temporary Sgt James Hicks committed gross misconduct.

He was also found to have used police devices to communicate with the member of staff, sending a police-related image to her via Microsoft Teams, which was not an appropriate method to use.

Chief Constable Ben Julian Harrington, who chaired the hearing, said he expected his supervisors "to lead and set an example".

The panel heard Hicks attended the staff member's home without any apparent policing purpose and turned his radio off, meaning there was no direct police method of contacting him.

On another occasion, he was alone in a supermarket car park in a marked police car and did not respond to an emergency call to an incident nearby.

He was found to have breached standards of professional behaviour in duties and responsibilities and discreditable conduct, which amounted to gross misconduct.

As well as the panel finding that Hicks would have been dismissed without notice had he not already resigned, he was also placed on the Police Barred List.

The findings of February's hearing were published on Tuesday.

Harrington said: "I expect supervisors to lead and set an example, supporting their colleagues and being available to respond to the needs of the public.

"I also expect all officers and staff to spend their time at work productively using systems and equipment to do their job, not further their private lives.

"Former PC Hicks was an experienced officer with nine years' service and [he was] a temporary sergeant, so the responsibility and expectation on him from the force and the public was high."

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