A police officer who sent inappropriate and flirtatious to a woman he met on duty has kept his job following an investigation.
PC Kenneth Brogan pursued a relationship with the woman in October 2020 and sent her more than 100 texts and WhatsApp messages.
The Avon and Somerset Police officer also continued to message her after she made it clear she did not want to hear from him, causing her stress and anxiety.
The officer, who was based at the force’s headquarters in Portishead, was given a final written warning at a disciplinary hearing last week.
It followed an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
David Ford, regional director for the IOPC, said: “Cases such as these have the real potential to impact on public confidence in the police.
“At the outset of their service, it is made clear to officers that it is inappropriate to have or seek personal relationships with members of the public they meet through the course of their duties.
“Our investigation assessed more than 100 text and WhatsApp messages from the officer and formed the view that PC Brogan had a case to answer for gross misconduct.
The police disciplinary panel decided that the officer’s actions breached standards of professional behaviour and, as a result, have given him a final written warning
The head of professional standards at the force, Superintendent Jane Wigmore, added: “We and our communities rightly expect our officers and staff to uphold the highest levels of integrity.
“Officers’ involvement with members of the public they meet during the course of their duty must remain professional. In cases such as this, where behaviour falls far short of our standards, we will hold them to account.
“We await the chair’s written outcome for the full findings, which will be published in due course.”
Credit: Stephen Sumner, Local Democracy Reporting Service
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