Senior Officer Caught in Misconduct Storm Over Secret Relationship and Promotion Favouritism
Chief Superintendent’s Secret Romance Sparks Inquiry
Chief Superintendent Rob Atkin MBE, South East commander, faced a misconduct hearing after allegations surfaced about his conduct. The hearing focused on claims he breached professional standards involving authority, respect, honesty, and confidentiality.
In 2015, Atkin became mentor to a constable aiming for fast-track promotion. Between August 2017 and May 2018, their relationship turned personal. It was alleged Atkin used his position to unfairly boost the officer’s career through job postings and promotions and failed to disclose their relationship to management.
Misconduct Proven but No Malice Found
On 31 July, an independent panel found Atkin guilty of misconduct for breaches relating to authority, respect, and courtesy. However, they ruled he acted as mentor without personal gain or ill intent. The panel criticised him for not informing his superiors about the relationship.
Confidential Papers Scandal: What Really Happened?
During the 2018 fast-track promotion process, Atkin was given confidential assessment papers and a list of candidates. It was alleged he didn’t declare a conflict of interest since his partner was on the list and that he showed her these confidential documents to give her an unfair edge.
The panel confirmed the officer did see the papers but didn’t find proof Atkin knowingly allowed or encouraged it. Furthermore, they stated he did not fail to declare a conflict of interest, though he did not notify the College of Policing that the papers had been seen.
Poor Judgement, Not Gross Misconduct
The panel concluded Atkin’s mistakes amounted to poor judgement and unwise decisions rather than deliberate wrongdoing. The misconduct was deemed serious but stopped short of gross misconduct. He was handed management advice to prevent future lapses.
