former Dorset Police officer has been found guilty of gross misconduct after repeatedly accessing personal data on a police system without any lawful or policing justification, a public misconduct hearing has ruled.
The accelerated misconduct hearing was held at Dorset Police Headquarters in Winfrith on Tuesday, 15 April 2025, to examine allegations that between January 2023 and June 2024, the officer accessed records of members of the public via the force’s records management system in breach of the Data Protection Act 2018.
The misconduct panel heard that the former officer, whose identity cannot be disclosed due to legal restrictions, admitted to unlawfully accessing personal data out of personal curiosity, not for any legitimate policing purpose. The officer even contacted individuals whose records had been viewed, but there is no evidence that any information was shared with others or that any investigations were compromised.
In August 2024, the officer received a conditional caution after admitting to an offence under section 170 of the Data Protection Act 2018. They retired from the force shortly thereafter.
Despite the officer’s resignation, the misconduct panel found that they would have been dismissed without notice had they still been serving. As a result, the officer will be added to the police barred list, effectively banning them from future employment in UK policing.
Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Farrell condemned the officer’s actions, saying:
“The actions of the former officer constituted repeated unlawful behaviour – involving a number of breaches – and as an experienced officer, they knew this. They directly contravened the training they had received.
Police officers are responsible for upholding the law and when they themselves break it, this seriously harms public trust and confidence.”
The hearing acknowledged the officer’s cooperation with the investigation and their early admission of guilt, but emphasised the serious breach of trust and integrity involved.
Members of the public who wish to report misconduct or corruption within the police service can do so via the Police Anti-Corruption and Abuse Reporting Service run by Crimestoppers on 0800 085 0000 or through the Dorset Police website.
