Warning for Leicestershire special constable who abused position

Special police constable Gaffrey Wilson attended a Leicestershire Police misconduct panel

An off-duty special police constable produced his warrant card without a "policing purpose" when asked to leave a building, a misconduct hearing found.

Gaffrey Wilson, of Leicestershire Police, was handed a written warning for five years.

The panel found the breaches of professional standards amounted to "gross misconduct".

A report concluded harm was "high", particularly reputational harm due to scrutiny of police conduct.

The findings were made on 28 November.

A report found he produced his warrant card when he visited the premises of a former employer to discuss "a personal employment matter" on 18 October 2022.

When the receptionist told him the person he wanted to speak to was unavailable, Mr Wilson said he would wait.

He was then told police would be called if he did not leave and he reportedly replied: "I am the police, so there's no point."

'Undermining public trust'

The panel was told the special constable produced his warrant card without a "policing purpose to do so".

The report said: "Knowing that that you should not have produced your warrant card without a policing purpose, you deliberately covered and/or attempted to cover the details of the police force named on your warrant card, using your finger, in an effort to disguise from the relevant police force."

The panel concluded that the conduct was serious due to its "nature and its potential for undermining public trust in the police".

But it ruled it was Mr Wilson's "stress of the situation" rather than "malign intent" behind his actions.

Mr Wilson apologised for any distress caused and understood the conclusions but maintained his innocence, the report added.

Supt Alison Tompkins, from the force's professional standards department, said: "SPC Wilson used his policing powers while off-duty for a non-policing purpose. This is not accepted in the force and is not in line with the standards of professional behaviour which are expected of all officers."

She added the panel determined a final warning, rather than a dismissal, was more appropriate because the action was "spontaneous rather than malicious".