A Dorset police instructor who used a snipping tool to ‘forcibly’ remove earrings worn by three trainee officers ahead of a fitness test has been found guilty of gross misconduct.
PC Martin Briggs is claimed to have ordered the trainee officers to place their heads on a jacket on a desk to have their stud earrings removed after they said they were unable to take out the jewellery.
Briggs was overseeing a “beep test”, where recruits are required to run up and down the length of a sports hall before they hear a beep sound. He insisted that all jewellery must be removed for the test.
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The three officers – PC Georgia Hedditch, PC Elizabeth Christie and PC Holly Law – told a misconduct hearing that they felt “distressed and embarrassed” by the incident, but complied with Briggs’ order because they were concerned about their career prospects if they did not complete the test.
The disciplinary hearing found on Friday (19 April) that Briggs had breached the standards of professional behaviour relating to authority, respect and courtesy, and discreditable conduct, and was guilty of gross misconduct.
The three student officers told the panel that Briggs had used large bolt croppers to remove the piercings, but both Briggs and another officer, PC Davies, said that smaller snippers were used to remove the piercings, and were under the impression the three women had given their consent.
The panel found that while the large bolt croppers could not physically have been used, Briggs took them into the room with him with the intention of the students believing they were to be used
The panel found that the students had not given free and genuine consent but had submitted to his actions.
Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Farrell said: “I was saddened to hear about this incident involving the very team of officers who are expected to demonstrate impeccable standards of behaviour and respect to our new student officers as they begin their policing journey with us.
“Their actions on that day fell below the standards expected of anyone working within Dorset Police and the outcomes delivered by the panel reflect the seriousness of this.
“The panel found that there was confusion over the dress code policy for officers taking part in the job-related fitness test and, since this incident, we have already reviewed our policies and training joining instructions so it is made very clear to officers that no jewellery or piercings must be worn.
“Tackling unethical or unacceptable behaviour remains a force priority and I would encourage members of the public to report them to the force so they can be thoroughly investigated.”
Mark Ley-Morgan, a barrister representing Dorset Police, said: “Three very junior officers came into an office, putting their head on a table, having their earrings forcibly cut out. It is a serious incident which should never have happened and it is astonishing that it did. What would a member of the public thinking of joining the police service make of this?”
Briggs said he made a “highly regrettable error of judgment” and argued that he removed the jewellery with the trainees’ consent.
Hedditch told the disciplinary panel that she had only been an officer for three weeks at the time of the incident. When she found she could not remove one of her earrings, she jokingly suggested Briggs would have to “cut them out”.
She said: “I didn’t think that it would actually be actioned … In hindsight, it should never have happened.”
Christie said: “He was holding these really long bolt cutters in his hands and was opening and closing them. He said: ‘Who’s next?’ I remember staring at them and thinking: ‘Shit; they are big.’
“It was overwhelming. I was shaking with adrenaline and trying not to cry.”
British Transport Police recently scrapped its annual beep test for existing officers because of concerns it indirectly discriminated against women.
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This story was originally published on 17 April and updated on 19 April following the decision of the disciplinary panel.
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