Former PC failed to report alleged kidnapping

The officer's conduct "undermines public trust in the police service", the hearing found

A former PC who was arrested as part of a criminal investigation into the suspected kidnapping of a friend, would have been sacked had she not already quit, West Midlands Police has said.

Former officer PC Knowles was arrested on 30 January before a decision to take no further action was made on 20 February.

It was alleged she was in knowledge of the incident in September 2024, continued her association with the alleged offenders while failing to report the crime and "prevented the victim's family from contacting the police".

A misconduct hearing held on 21 August, stated the former PC had been motivated "solely for personal reasons" and her actions had amounted to "serious gross misconduct".

The report noted the former officer's conduct was off duty and said she had "a series of challenging personal relationships with men".

It said the officer also failed to disclose her notifiable relationships up until the day she was arrested and interviewed.

PC Knowles also described the victim as her friend, which led to the panel deducing she had a "number of divided loyalties" at the time of the alleged kidnap.

The chair of the hearing, Chief Constable Craig Guildford, said: "I determine that the most appropriate sanction in this case which best fits the purpose of these proceedings would have been dismissal had she still been serving as there is no place in policing for those who choose to conduct themselves in such a manner."

He added: "Her discreditable conduct undermines public trust in the police service placed on us by members of the public, especially victims of crime.

"Her conduct was deliberate, repeated and the way she conducted herself prevented a criminal offence from being stopped or expeditiously detected."