Devon and Cornwall special constable guilty of gross misconduct

The officer's behaviour fell well below the standards expected within policing said Det Supt Paul Kessell, the force's head of professional standards

A special constable who delayed a packet in the postal system has been found guilty of gross misconduct.

He resigned before a misconduct hearing at which he did not appear on 30 March, said Devon and Cornwall Police.

The officer would have been dismissed instantly if he had still been serving, said Chief Constable Shaun Sawyer.

The unnamed officer also got a criminal caution for "intentionally delaying a postal packet" while working as a postal operator.

His behaviour was "so serious to have amounted to gross misconduct", said the force in a statement.

Det Supt Paul Kessell, the force's head of professional standards, said after the hearing: "The public should be able to trust that all of our officers, whether volunteers or regulars, act with the highest levels of honesty and integrity.

"The behaviour of the officer fell well below the standards expected within policing.

"Conduct of this kind, whether on or off duty, will not be tolerated within Devon and Cornwall Police and therefore this was the right and proper outcome."