A Sussex Police officer, Sergeant Alan Ward, has been dismissed following revelations that he spent portions of his night shifts seeing two women with whom he was engaged in sexual relationships.
Sergeant Alan Ward, 40, a response officer stationed in Bognor, was the focus of a public Special Case (Fast Track) hearing at Sussex Police headquarters in Lewes on Tuesday, December 12, where he confronted allegations of violating standards of professional conduct concerning his duties and responsibilities, as well as discreditable behaviour.
During the hearing, Chief Constable of Sussex Police, Giles York, stated that Sergeant Alan Ward, who was absent from the proceedings, had visited the residences of two distinct women while on duty for 27 out of 56 night shifts between January 1 and September 30 of this year.
According to Chief Constable York, Sergeant Alan Ward’s whereabouts was determined by following the GPS on his police radio.
On October 6, 2017, officers from Sussex Police’s professional standards department, prompted by information obtained through the force’s confidential reporting website, located Sergeant Alan Ward at a Bognor Regis address between 9:25 PM and 11:00 PM while he was on duty.
On that occasion, Sergeant Ward was involved in sexual intercourse with a female.
Chief Constable York substantiated both claims against Sergeant Alan Ward and terminated his employment with immediate effect after a 30-minute break on Tuesday evening.
Sergeant Alan Ward had before acknowledged the accusations made against him.
In summary, Chief Constable York stated: “In evaluating the allegations against Mr. Alan Ward, it is essential to determine whether his actions constitute gross misconduct.”
As a sergeant, he was tasked with serving his community yet neglected to fulfil this duty on several times.
“Mr. Alan Ward has undermined the ethical standards of policing, failed the police force, and disappointed the public of Sussex by neglecting his responsibilities as a police officer during a period of significant pressure on my staff.”
I feel that the suitable sanction for Mr. Alan Ward is immediate firing.
Sergeant Alan Ward commenced his tenure with Sussex Police in March 2001 and has held the rank of sergeant for a decade.
Following the hearing, Assistant Chief Constable of Sussex Police, Laurence Taylor, stated: “In a period of significant demands on the force and his colleagues, this officer’s conduct was profoundly inadequate in meeting the expectations of Sussex Police and the public he was obligated to serve.”
“I am gratified that our confidential reporting system, through which this was initially reported, revealed that his colleagues were equally disheartened by his conduct.”
“It is crucial to demonstrate that the force will impartially scrutinise its personnel, underscoring our commitment to prevent a minuscule fraction of officers from undermining public trust in Sussex Police or tarnishing the substantial contributions made daily by thousands of diligent and devoted police officers and staff throughout the county.”
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