a panel found had "abused his role for sexual purposes"
According to a report, almost 20 West Midlands Police officers and staff members were sacked for misconduct in the past year.
Figures due to be presented to the West Midlands Police and Crime Panel on November 9 show that 19 employees were dismissed following misconduct hearings and meetings during 2025/26.
A further 23 employees were found to have committed offences serious enough to warrant dismissal but had already left the force before their hearings could take place.
The figures emerge amid a series of misconduct cases involving West Midlands Police officers, including one who a panel found had “abused his role for sexual purposes” and another who inappropriately accessed police records more than 2,000 times.
The report detailed the outcomes of 12 gross misconduct hearings involving police officers. Three resulted in officers being sacked, while six would have been dismissed had they not already left the force.
The remaining cases resulted in one reduction in rank, one final written warning and one decision to take no further action.
A further six officers were dismissed following accelerated misconduct hearings, which are held in cases where there is a strong case for dismissal.
The data also recorded seven misconduct meetings involving police officers, where breaches of professional standards were considered serious but did not warrant dismissal.
Depending on the circumstances, misconduct allegations can result in a formal misconduct meeting, with possible outcomes including a written warning, a final written warning or learning under the Reflective Practice Review Process.
The report explained the distinction between conduct matters and more serious allegations, stating:
“Conduct matters are internal matters of alleged breaches of the Standards of Professional Behaviour.
“They do not necessarily involve a member of the public, but they can do.”
However, gross misconduct was described as a “more serious affair”, potentially resulting in a formal misconduct hearing chaired by the chief constable with a legal adviser.
The report also stressed that the decision to hold a hearing should not be taken as evidence that an officer has been found guilty:
“However, simply convening a hearing does not mean that guilt has been established.”
“Instead, it’s a forum where the evidence is considered and decisions are made based on what it reveals.”
What happens at a Misconduct Hearing?
- They present the facts of the case when an employee may have breached the standards of professional behaviour.
- The individual has the opportunity to provide an explanation of their conduct and the circumstances surrounding the allegation.
- Witnesses may be called to give evidence before a decision is made.
- More serious allegations of gross misconduct can lead to dismissal, while less serious cases of misconduct may result in warnings or learning.
