Thames Valley Police speak to officer caught throwing sandwich crusts

A police officer has been spoken to by his force after he threw sandwich crusts on to the ground from a marked car.

The officer, who said he was based at Witney station in Oxfordshire, was filmed by a man who confronted him over the litter.

After being berated for more than two minutes, he picked up his rubbish.

Thames Valley Police said the officer had been "given a chance to reflect on their actions and learn from them".

In the clip, which has been viewed more than three million times on TikTok, the resident films himself confronting the officer next to a patrol car in the street.

The officer initially said he had not thrown away any rubbish before conceding: "That's actually just sandwich crusts."

The man asked: "So you think it's OK to pull up outside somebody else's house and chuck your lunch or breakfast outside my house? That's acceptable is it?

"If I'd done that in front of a police officer, or a litter enforcement officer saw me do that, I'd get nicked wouldn't I? Of course I would. You've got no respect have you?"

'Unpleasant smells'

The officer responded: "I can fully understand where you're coming from and I appreciate maybe it didn't look so bad [sic] and I fully take that on board and... I will keep that in mind for the future."

When the man told the officer to pick it up, at one point, he got the reply: "I'm not going to do it while you're telling me to do it."

The man became more irate as the exchange continued, with the officer eventually picking up the crusts and departing in the car with a colleague.

In a statement, Thames Valley Police said: "The video has been reviewed internally and we have spoken to the officer involved.

"We have also been to discuss the encounter, and the officer's actions, with the individual who recorded the video.

"We strive to learn from our encounters with the public, so the officer involved has been given a chance to reflect on their actions and learn from them.

"We will also be asking our independent scrutiny group, which is made up of members of the public, if they have any further recommendations for us."

The Thames Valley Police website describes littering, alongside fly-tipping, as a "health hazard, not to mention an eyesore" which can cause "unpleasant smells" and "attract pests".

It advises that "while the police will take action if we witness it happening, littering should usually be reported to your local council as they can organise the removal of litter".

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