Misconduct hearing for former officer reaches outcome

A misconduct hearing for a former West Mercia Police officer has reached an outcome.

An Accelerated Misconduct Hearing, chaired by Chief Constable Pippa Mills, reached the outcome that former officer Stephen Green would have been dismissed had he not ceased to be a member of West Mercia Police. He had been based in Shropshire.

The hearing followed his pleading guilty to harassment at Wolverhampton Magistrates’ Court in July 2021.

The former officer, who resigned from the force in June, was sentenced to six months in prison suspended for two years. The court also made the following ancillary orders against him: a restraining order, a six month curfew with electronic monitoring and 200 hours of unpaid work.

As is standard practice following any officer convicted of any offence, a misconduct procedure has now taken place.

The hearing heard the former officer breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour in relation to discreditable conduct. The breach was so serious it amounted to gross misconduct and the Chair found that he would have been dismissed without notice if he had not already resigned.

He will now be added to the College of Policing Barred List. The hearing is subject to the appeal process.

Chief Constable Pippa Mills said: “The nature of the office of Constable means that all police officers are in a position of trust and authority in relation to members of the public. Former officer Stephen Green abused this position.

“The conviction and the circumstances in this case have discredited West Mercia Police. We expect the highest standards of professional behaviour from all of our officers, both towards members of the public and their colleagues.

“Stephen Green’s behaviour and actions breached the standards of behaviour that are essential in serving our communities, which is why he would have been dismissed from the force had he not resigned and his name has been added to the College of Policing Barred List.