A cop who repeatedly attacked a doorman while she was drunk would have been sacked if she hadn’t already resigned. PC Deryn Ling, of Durham Constabulary, assaulted the victim by striking his head with her arm on September 13 last year.
A misconduct hearing heard how she had identified herself as an officer earlier in the evening and was heavily intoxicated. She tried to return to the premises, which she had been told to leave, and assaulted the victim repeatedly.
PC Ling admitted the assault, which occurred while she was off duty. A community resolution was offered, and accepted by the officer, as an alternative to prosecution. She has now resigned from the force.
Chief Constable Rachel Bacon found that PC Ling’s actions were deliberate and there was a breach of the criminal law. She said there was harm caused to the victim from the assault and considered the impact on his trust and confidence in policing.
She said: “The public trusts police officers to uphold the criminal law and to enforce it on their behalf. When police officers breach the criminal law, there is inevitably a significant impact on the public’s trust and confidence in police officers.”
Chief Constable Bacon found that PC Ling’s behaviour was gross misconduct and breached the standards of professional behaviour in relation to Discreditable Conduct. She said: “I have no hesitation in finding that the standard has been breached.
“The public expects police officers to uphold the criminal law. Committing criminal offences inevitably undermines public trust.”
During the hearing, which was held on April 1, she took into account the fact the officer’s letter to the victim suggested issues with drink and anger. However she said there was no medical evidence to support that.
The Chief Constable said: “During the investigation, she set out that this was not her normal behaviour. I do not find that there was a medical reason why she was so intoxicated on the day in question.”
She said kept in mind that the incident, which was captured on CCTV, has been “career-ending” for the officer. She also considered the personal difficulties she was facing at the relevant time.
Chief Constable Bacon said that, had the officer not resigned, she would have been dismissed without notice. She said: “She had identified herself as an Officer earlier in the evening, assaulting a member of door staff repeatedly, trying to return to the premises when she had been told to leave, and she was heavily intoxicated.
“She could not have continued to serve as a police officer.” PC Ling will now be placed on the Barred List.
Source – Chronicle Live