Police officer dismissed for gross misconduct

PC James Roper was based at Peterborough's Thorpe Wood police station

A Cambridgeshire police officer has been dismissed following a misconduct hearing.

PC James Roper was sacked after a disciplinary panel found he had breached standards of professional behaviour by making discriminatory comments.

The panel heard that in December 2022, Roper engaged on an online forum with a third party and made discriminatory comments about a news item relating to the rescue of immigrants from the sea.

Given the number of messages that were posted and the use of a laughing emoji, the panel concluded that Roper's conduct was "deliberate and intentional".

The third party had said: "Blood on the hands of government again. Horrible how we treat these desperate people."

Roper responded: "Absolutely not my friend. They're not our problem until they make it here so lets not help them. They all believe in 'inshallah' so if it is truly his will they will get here then they will get here. If it isn’t then their Deity clearly had other plans for them."

Roper accepted that he had breached the standards of professional behaviour but did not accept his conduct amounted to gross misconduct.

'Offensive and discriminatory'

On another occasion, in March 2023, in a conversation with an inspector, Roper was accused of having used language which denigrated people with learning difficulties.

The panel concluded that although the term had not been used in reference to any other person and was self-deprecating, it was "offensive and discriminatory".

Deputy Chief Constable Jane Gyford said: "The language used by the officer was not only offensive but discriminatory and falls below what our communities expect from a police officer.

"The conduct that this officer has displayed falls below policing's professional standards, and it is important to show this finding to support the need to maintain public trust and confidence in the constabulary."

The two-day hearing, which was held last week in Sandy, decided that Roper be dismissed from the force without notice.