Top Brass Cleared Out After Gross Misconduct Hearing
A shocking misconduct hearing has rocked the Met, ending on Sunday, 16 January. Chief Superintendent Paul Martin and Chief Inspector Davinder Kandohla were both found guilty of gross misconduct and swiftly sacked without notice.
Charges: Corporate Card Abuse and Staff Bullying
Chief Superintendent Martin was slammed for misusing a corporate credit card, bullying junior staff including a pregnant colleague, and failing to declare conflicts of interest during Kandohla’s promotion process. His breaches covered honesty, integrity, respect, and equality standards.
Meanwhile, Chief Inspector Kandohla was found to have kept conflicts of interest under wraps during his own promotion, gave misleading statements during expense investigations, and mistreated junior officers. His conduct was deemed discreditable, leading to his instant dismissal.
Other Officers Face Sanctions
- Sergeant James Di-Luzio was found guilty of misconduct linked to misuse of a corporate credit card and bullying junior staff. He got off with management advice rather than dismissal.
- PC Karina Kandohla was cleared of all allegations.
At the time, these officers were split between Met Operations and Frontline Policing. The probe kicked off in July 2018 after concerns about the promotion process and expanded in 2019 with claims of improper workplace behaviour and financial misconduct. All wrongdoing happened between 2017 and 2019.
Commander Roper: ‘No Place for This in the Met’
“The behaviour demonstrated by these officers has no place in the Met. It is right they have been subject to a detailed and thorough investigation.”
“Three held leadership roles but abused their positions, especially in how they treated junior staff. This appalling conduct will not be tolerated.”
The Professional Standards Directorate also issued management action to a then-Inspector for breaches around duties and responsibilities—a formal warning to improve.
Met Pledges Major Reforms to Rebuild Public Trust
The trust of Londoners remains paramount. The Met insists strict new measures are underway to restore confidence. Key moves include:
- Deputy Commissioner’s Delivery Group and Mayor’s Action Plan
- STRIDE Action Plan to tackle misconduct
- ‘Rebuilding Trust and Confidence’ commitments
- Two independent reviews
- Boosted investigators in Professional Standards Directorate
Commander Roper added: “We demand the highest professionalism, integrity, courage and compassion from all our officers. When standards slip, we act decisively.”
