Following an accelerated misconduct hearing, a serving British Transport Police officer was formally dismissed without notice.
On Wednesday, July 27, Police Sergeant Coleman, based in London, was fired with immediate effect by the Chief Constable.
According to the allegations, on 4 June 2022, Police Sergeant Coleman reported for duty as a Custody Officer while being unfit due to the influence of alcohol and drugs.
He tested positive for both alcohol and cocaine when tested.
The Chief Constable deemed his actions to be gross misconduct and fired him with immediate effect.
“This is a clear breach of the high standards we expect from police officers,” said Chief Constable Lucy D’Orsi, “and the fact that we have chosen to expedite this misconduct hearing demonstrates how seriously we take such incidents.”
As a custody sergeant, PS Coleman was in charge of detainees. Performing his role while under the influence of alcohol or drugs is completely unacceptable and contradicts BTP’s standards and values. PS Coleman’s actions eroded the public’s faith in our ability to protect them. In this case, no one was harmed, but trust and professionalism are non-negotiable. As a result, I’ve fired him with immediate effect.”