Ex-Cop Found Guilty of Dangerous Driving After Emergency Call Incident
Disciplinary Hearing at Sussex Police HQ
A former police officer has been hit with proven misconduct charges following claims of dangerous and careless driving. The case was examined at Sussex Police Headquarters on Tuesday 11 April, overseen by an Independent Legally Qualified Chair (LQC). These chairs are specially appointed to ensure misconduct hearings are fair and transparent, working alongside Police and Crime Commissioners to keep investigations above board.
Incident Details: Emergency Response Gone Wrong
The panel heard that on 9 April 2020, ex-PC Robert Teear, 30, from the West Sussex division, raced to Shoreham responding to a fight on the High Street. However, he allegedly drove the police vehicle dangerously and carelessly, ignoring his driving permit rules. Shocking claims also say Teear deliberately drove towards a member of the public to try and stop them.
The individual targeted had actually been trying to help the police before Teear arrived and suffered minor leg injuries. This sparked a public complaint, triggering both internal and criminal probes.
Legal Outcome and Resignation
After a five-day trial at Hove Crown Court in November 2021, a jury found Teear not guilty of dangerous driving. Despite the acquittal, Teear resigned while the investigation was ongoing. However, the misconduct panel later ruled that he breached professional standards, amounting to misconduct.
Because Teear was no longer a serving officer and the breach didn’t qualify as gross misconduct, the panel couldn’t impose any sanctions.
Police Maintain Tough Stance on Officer Conduct
“We expect our officers to act with the utmost integrity and professionalism, and in accordance with the Code of Ethics and the Standards of Professional Behaviour. The actions of the officer in this case fell short of the standards we expect,” said Detective Chief Inspector Jon Robeson from the Professional Standards Department. “We remain committed to holding officers and staff to account.”
