Two PSNI sacked foraccessing systems

Over the past six years 14 officers were disciplined for the offence.

The PSNI released the information in response to a Freedom of Information request.

They were asked to provide details of “how many police officers or police staff have been reprimanded or sacked in your force between January 1, 2006 to February 13, 2012 for illegally accessing confidential information on the Police National Computer.”

But a PSNI spokesperson stated it was unable to provide these details.

However, the police did reveal that: “Between January 1, 2006 and February 13, 2012, fifteen officers were disciplined at a formal misconduct hearing for inappropriate use of police systems.

“Two officers received a sanction of caution, four officers received a reprimand, five officers were fined, two officers were reduced in pay, and two officers were required to resign (in effect, dismissal with notice).

“The Police Service expects its staff to behave professionally, ethically and with the utmost integrity at all times. Whilst the PSNI takes extremely seriously any allegation of wrongdoing, the number of cases must be put into context of the average overall size of the police service in the time-frame requested i.e. 8500 officers.”

The revelation follows a report in the Sentinel last month that revealed five police officers in G District - which includes Londonderry, Limavady and Strabane - appeared before misconduct hearings over the past three years whilst a further two resigned before their cases could be heard.

One wayward officer had to resign, three were fined and one was cautioned for various misconduct offences.

And in the last three years, two officers attached to G District resigned prior to a misconduct hearing taking place.

The PSNI has sacked dozens of officers across Northern Ireland over the past three years for various misconduct including drinking, brawling, drug-using, drunken gun possession, an alleged sex offence and making false entries on police forms.

Last month the police advised the Sentinel: “Five officers attached to G District appeared before a misconduct hearing in the last three years. The range of sanctions imposed were as follows: requirement to resign/dismissal x1; monetary penalty x3; reprimand/caution x1.

“In the last three years, two officers attached to G District resigned prior to a misconduct hearing taking place.”

Misconduct hearings affecting a total of 96 officers were conducted between 2009 and 2011 across the entire force, whilst a further 22 hearings are scheduled to be heard where officers have been permitted to resign prior to proceedings taking place.

At least 15 officers have been sacked or “permitted to resign” (dismissal with notice) over the three years.

Last year one officer was dismissed for allegedly perverting the course of justice. Three others were sacked for being drunk in charge of a vehicle whilst another was allowed to go after being discovered to be “unfit for duty.”

In 2010 mileage fraud, a failure to conduct a fair and thorough investigation, acts of dishonesty, allegations of misconduct and false entries on police forms prompted a string of compulsory resignations.

And in 2009 errant officers were dismissed for a fraudulent finance application, an assault occasioning actual bodily harm, an assault and disorderly behaviour, a failure to conduct a prompt and thorough investigation and drunkenness in possession of a firearm and domestic incident.

The Sentinel tried to find out how many officers in the North West were involved and how they had breached the police misconduct code.

But the PSNI said it could not provide details of the misconduct by local officers as there was a danger officers involved would be known to their “colleagues in Foyle, G District, across the organisation, and known to certain members of the public.”

In a statement released to the Sentinel the PSNI said: “The information requested relates to police officers’ ‘sensitive personal data’ i.e. their disciplinary record which is processed to ascertain or decide something about those individuals.

“Additionally and importantly there is the potential to identify someone from the data either through a comparison of what is already available.”

Province-wide a number of further hearings regarding misconduct by officers over the three years have yet to be heard although resignations have also taken place.

The hearings will concern positive drugs test; dishonest behaviour off-duty; harassment; sexual offence; breach of confidentiality regarding police information; excess alcohol; motoring offences/failure to secure police property; misconduct in public office; GBH; failure in investigations; refusal to comply with service policy regarding substance misuse test; and inappropriate language/behaviour towards colleagues and member of the public.