The misconduct hearing of PC Bonnie Murphy concluded on 18 July 2024, resulting in a final written warning for a period of five years. The hearing, held at Palestra House, found that PC Murphy, 20 at the time of the incidents, had breached several professional standards, including Discreditable Conduct and Honesty and Integrity, in relation to three main allegations.
The allegations stemmed from two incidents: requesting a photograph of a deceased person without a policing purpose and using unauthorized material to prepare for a police driving exam. During the exam, Murphy also admitted to using Google to answer a question. The misconduct panel found that her actions were intentional, although it acknowledged her young age, stress, and partial admissions as mitigating factors.
While the breaches were deemed serious, the panel ruled that dismissal was not warranted. They emphasized that the purpose of the police conduct regime is to uphold public confidence in policing, maintain high standards, and protect the public. Consequently, PC Murphy was issued a five-year final written warning as the most appropriate outcome to fulfil these purposes.
The Metropolitan Police Service has confirmed that Murphy will remain with the force, but her future role may be impacted due to restrictions on her participation in evidentiary processes.
