TikTok: Northamptonshire Police officer warned over inappropriate videos

The PC posted offensive videos on the social media site TikTok, the police watchdog said

A police officer who posted "inappropriate" TikTok videos has been given a final written warning.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) found gross misconduct proven against PC Aaron Parry of Northamptonshire Police.

One video contained "inappropriate commentary" on the pandemic and another referred to a detained person as an "illegal immigrant".

Derrick Campbell, from the IOPC, said the officer "should have known better".

The watchdog said PC Parry breached professional standards of behaviour for authority, respect and courtesy.

It began an independent investigation after a woman complained that inappropriate videos were posted on social media between 19 January and 8 April 2020.

The IOPC said the video on the coronavirus pandemic was filmed with PC Parry and a colleague in police uniform, in a police vehicle.

It contained inappropriate and offensive captions and offensive lyrics in the song Roses by SAINt JHN.

'Considerable remorse'

The IOPC said a further video showed an unidentified man in the passenger seat of an Audi, with the caption "drug dealer".

Northamptonshire Police said it had educated officers on its social media policy in light of the incident

Mr Campbell said: "PC Parry claimed a lack of awareness of the relevant policies, but ignorance is no defence."

He added the videos had "negatively impacted on the public's view of policing in general".

Another officer, who has not been named, has received a written warning.

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Supt Natalee Wignall, head of professional standards at Northamptonshire Police, said: "PC Parry, who up to this point had enjoyed a long and unblemished service record, expressed considerable remorse at the hearing."

She said PC Parry admitted "his conduct was immature [but] he had never intended to cause offence to anyone".

"Since this case came to light, the force has taken further steps to educate officers around the use and misuse of social media and kept its social media policy under constant review," she added.