PC slapped colleague's bottom, misconduct panel told

A Derbyshire police officer slapped a female colleague's buttock, inappropriately touched other staff and made sexual remarks, a misconduct hearing heard.

The misconduct panel ruled PC Alexander Kimber "failed to maintain a professional boundary" and "had the potential to cause colleagues to feel harassed".

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said the hearing was told Kimber slapped a fellow colleague's bottom while on duty and sent her emojis on social media in relation to her looks.

The panel concluded the officer would have been dismissed had he not resigned before the hearing took place.

The LDRS said Mr Kimber accepted gross misconduct in relation to the offences, and according to police documents said he was "extremely remorseful" for his actions.

"This type of behaviour will never happen again, and I have sought therapy to understand my actions and to better understand boundaries," he is quoted as saying in the documents.

Papers made public by police following the hearing in December revealed Kimber told one of his colleagues when she was not wearing her PPE (personal protective equipment) "words to the effect of 'It's nice to see you without your kit on'".

The panel heard the officer once poked the same woman's left buttock and later told her on Snapchat that poking her had "made my day".

Kimber also messaged another colleague saying: "You've done a good job these past few days … and it helps that you're good to look at."

In addition, while discussing a mutual colleague with another co-worker he messaged "words to the effect of 'tell her she needs to show me her boobs for being late'".

The panel ruled Kimber's behaviour represented "discriminatory and/or harassing behaviour on the grounds of your colleagues' sex".

Deputy Chief Constable Simon Blatchly said: "The behaviour that Mr Kimber displayed is totally unacceptable and has no place in policing.

"Officers are held to a high standard – whether when dealing with the public or their colleagues.

"The repeated and targeted actions towards female colleagues was wrong and it is right that, had he not already resigned, he would have been removed from service."

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