Dorset police officer accused of misconduct over use of force's cars

The hearing is being held at Dorset Police headquarters in Winfrith

A senior police officer clocked up more than 900 miles of personal trips in force cars, a tribunal has heard.

Supt Michael Rogers, who retired from Dorset Police this year, is accused of gross misconduct by breaching professional standards.

Accusations against him also include claiming expenses "far more" than the cost of meals he had taken.

He told the hearing: "I am not dishonest. If I made mistakes I sincerely apologise."

The tribunal at Dorset Police headquarters in Winfrith was told of four alleged breaches of professional standards by Mr Rogers between 2015 and 2019.

He is alleged to have used pool and hire vehicles for private journeys and other work trips that he was not entitled to do, as well as under-declaring private mileage in force vehicles.

'Sinister' reason

Lawyer Mark Ley-Morgan told the hearing Mr Rogers received a senior officer allowance of £103.25 a month to use his private car for work journeys and 15.5p per business mile.

He said Mr Rogers continued to use pool and hire cars for work journeys as well as personal trips.

On one trip, he carried a sofa on a Skoda's roof. He also visited recycling centres and B&Q.

Mr Ley-Morgan said: "This is systematic, repeated use. You do not clock up 900 miles of unclaimed personal miles through the odd little detour."

The lawyer said Mr Rogers swapped from using pool vehicles to hire cars after the force's vehicle tracker recorded him speeding during a trip to Stansted.

He said the "sinister" reason Mr Rogers stopped using them was "because he realised he could be tracked".

Mr Rogers told the tribunal: "I do not dispute the use of the vehicles, I think I have sound operational reasons to use those specific vehicles."

The hearing is expected to last seven days.