Hertfordshire PC sacked for pushing man's face against car

The IOPC said PC Stephen Dalton "did not demonstrate self-control or professionalism"

A police officer who pushed a man's face against a car during an arrest has been dismissed.

PC Stephen Dalton, of Hertfordshire Police, used "unnecessary" force while detaining a man in Watford on 4 October 2019, a disciplinary panel found.

The officer said "it hurts, doesn't it?" after he pushed the man against a parked police car. He was treated in hospital and never charged.

Gross misconduct was found proven against PC Dalton at the hearing.

The officer was responding to reports of shed break ins at the time.

An independently-chaired disciplinary panel found the officer was in breach of the police professional standards of behaviour relating to use of force, authority, respect and courtesy for saying "it hurts doesn't it?" when he knew the man was injured.

'Public confidence'

Graham Beesley, regional director of the the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), said: "PC Dalton did not demonstrate self-control or professionalism and allowed the incident to escalate.

"Our investigation found the officer had a case to answer for gross misconduct and a disciplinary panel has concluded the amount of force used was unnecessary and the officer has now lost his job.

"His conduct fell far below the standards expected and clearly had the potential to damage public confidence in the police."

Gross misconduct was found proven against PC Dalton who has been placed on the barred list, meaning he cannot work in policing again.

The police watchdog passed a file to the Crown Prosecution Service, which authorised the police constable be charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

On 5 November 2021, PC Dalton was acquitted by a jury following a trial at St Albans Crown Court.