A Sussex Police officer has been handed a final written warning after being caught plagiarising study assessments in an attempt to secure a promotion to sergeant.
The misconduct hearing, held at Sussex Police headquarters between January 29 and February 3, found that the officer, identified only as PC W, had committed gross misconduct by submitting copied work across multiple study assessments.
Extent of Plagiarism Revealed
The hearing revealed that six workbook assignments were submitted between November 2022 and June 2023, with varying levels of plagiarism:
- Plagiarised content ranged from 7% to 69%.
- Two sections of the final submission contained a staggering 97% copied work.
The panel, chaired by Surrey Police Assistant Chief Constable Peter Gardner, ruled that the officer’s actions breached the standards of professional behaviour regarding:
✔️ Honesty and integrity
✔️ Duties and responsibilities
With the final written warning now in place, PC W’s future career progression may be impacted, particularly as the force seeks to maintain public trust and professional integrity.
The Professional Standards Department has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring all officers demonstrate the highest ethical standards in their duties.
