Police officer who falsified records barred
BBCA police officer who falsified records and caused "great psychological distress" to a crime victim has been barred from serving.
A misconduct panel ruled PC Ellen Quinn would have been sacked for gross misconduct had she not resigned from Cumbria Police.
Quinn, who joined the force as a Kendal patrol officer in 2022, falsified entries to say she had updated the victim when she had not. She also failed to update bail requirements for an offender, meaning their conditions had lapsed, placing the victim at potential risk.
Chief Constable Darren Martland said the officer, who resigned in August 2024, had been found to have acted dishonestly on more than one occasion.
A decision notice published by Cumbria Police said Quinn had "deliberately constructed" records to give the impression she had fulfilled her victim care duties.
She also failed to respond to multiple messages from the victim and the Crown Prosecution Service, "resulting in the course of justice being significantly delayed".
"This... meant the victim was placed at a potentially heightened risk, but with no awareness of it," the report added.
Assistant Chief Officer Sarah Jackson said Quinn should have foreseen the impact of her actions but took no steps to mitigate it.
"The former officer's conduct has directly caused great psychological distress to the victim, their children and their extended family," she said.
The decision notice said Quinn did not attend the hearing and did not formally respond to the allegations, but they were found proven on the balance of probabilities.
"Ms Quinn, if she remained in service, could not be trusted to protect the public, especially those who are at most vulnerable of harm," the report concluded.
