A Brighton detective has been sacked from Sussex Police after testing positive for cocaine.
Trainee Detective Constable Laura Stanley, 39, was arrested in August and she was requested to voluntarily provide a sample of hair for analysis. This she did and a subsequent test showed that between June 1 and August 31 she had ingested the controlled drug cocaine.
She was later formally cautioned for offences under Section 55 of the Data Protection Act and Section 40D of the Prisons Act 1952.
At a public gross misconduct hearing held at Sussex Police HQ on Friday (December 2), it was found that she had breached the standard of professional behaviour relating to discreditable conduct and she was dismissed without notice.
Detective Chief Inspector Nick Wainwright from Sussex Police’s Professional Standards Department said: “Police officers must behave in a manner which does not discredit the police service or undermine public confidence, whether on or off duty.
“Clearly, this officer’s conduct, compounded by her admission that she had taken cocaine, is completely out of line with the standards and professional integrity that we expect from our officers and staff.”
Aren’t you missing the ‘real’ story here? Section 55 of the Data Protection Act covers “Unlawful obtaining etc. of personal data” (such as accessing people’s details on the Police National Computer): section 40 of the Prisons Act 1952 covers “Unlawful conveyance of spirits or tobacco into prison, etc.”
So what did she actually do to warrant a formal caution?
This bent copper was sacked for a lot more than snorting Charlie, as the previous comment stated, she was charged and ‘Cautioned!’ for smuggling contraband into Prison to her boyfriend and for accessing and dispersing information from the Police Daabase, She should be in Prison not just sacked, but of course, Sussex Plod look after even the rotten apples.