PSNI Officers Dismissed Over Sexual Misconduct
Two officers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) have been dismissed due to sexual misconduct towards colleagues. The dismissals followed special case hearings led by Chief Constable Jon Boutcher, who described the behaviour as "abhorrent and completely dismissive."
One male officer had previously been convicted of two counts of sexual assault against a female colleague during off-duty hours. In a separate incident, a second officer was found to have made sexual comments to a female officer during a work night out and also groped her. This officer was also found guilty of sexual assault in a criminal court related to the incident.
Chief Constable Boutcher emphasized his dedication to maintaining the highest standards of professional conduct during a recent Northern Ireland Policing Board meeting. He stressed the necessity for all PSNI employees to recognize the importance of professional standards and fostering a respectful workplace culture.
Head of the Professional Standards branch, Chief Superintendent Stephen Murray, stated:
"These dismissals demonstrate that sexual misconduct, misogyny and sexist behaviour have no place in the Police Service of Northern Ireland and reflect our zero-tolerance approach to this type of behaviour.
We recognise the significant harm that sexual misconduct, harassment, misogynistic and sexist behaviour can cause to victims, individuals, teams and public confidence."
The officers were officially dismissed on 28 May.
