Devon & Cornwall police officer sacked after going shopping

He should have been responding to woman in distress

A Devon and Cornwall Police officer has been thrown out of the force after running personal errands when he should have been working.

PC Tristan Hankins has been found guilty of gross misconduct after telling his control centre he was able to respond to an incident but didn't do so until he'd finished doing his personal work.

A disciplinary panel found that in June 2020 he had advised the control room that he would be free shortly. The panel found this "was untrue in that he was free to respond to the immediate call but he continued to run a personal errand before attending the immediate incident."

Although the police haven't disclosed this in their report of the disciplinary hearing, it is thought that PC Hankins should have gone to a call about a woman who was threatening to kill herself, but instead he was shopping at a DIY store for a part for his hot tub.

He arrived at the incident five to 10 minutes later than he would have done had he not been shopping.

PC Hankins was found to have breached the expected standards of professional behaviour and he dismissed without notice.

Head of professional standards, detective superintendent Paul Kessell said: “We expect our officers to uphold the standards of professional behaviour at all times and the actions of the officer fell below these standards on this occasion.

“He did not fulfil his duties and responsibilities and his behaviour brought discredit upon the police service and could undermine public confidence.

“Such behaviour will not be tolerated within policing and the decision made by the panel was that the officer should be dismissed without notice.”

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