Hero to zero police officer - and a colleague - narrowly escape sacking after social media post ‘damages public confidence’ in the force
PC Amy Taylor (left) with chief constable Nick Dean and (right) one of the Tik Tok images that brought both PC Taylor and colleague PC April Cooper before a misconduct hearing. Both were given final written warnings. PictureL TIK TOK/Archant - Credit: Archant
A police officer once praised by her chief constable for saving the life of a woman at Whittlesey, has narrowly avoided being sacked for offensive social media posts.
PC Amy Taylor – and her colleague PC April Cooper - made TikTok videos of themselves on duty and in uniform.
A disciplinary hearing found that their actions amounted to gross misconduct and both were given a final written warning.
In one clip both were seen in uniform in a police station dancing in an “inappropriate way utilising fire marshal tabards”.
In another video, the officers appeared in a police vehicle “shouting offensive language”.
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Chief Constable Nick Dean said: “These videos range from dancing, in uniform in a police station whilst on duty, to being in a marked police vehicle, in uniform, on duty, using offensive language.”
In another clip, with the caption “when calling in sick at work and they ask what’s up,” PC Cooper appeared in uniform shouting “coronavirus” down a phone.
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“This clip was made in the height of a pandemic which is still ongoing yet you appear to be insensitive to the many thousands who have suffered and the vital role that emergency services and other agencies played in this outbreak, and continue to do so,” said Mr Dean.
“This shows a lack of respect and sensitivity to those that were suffering or indeed their families and friends.
“This brings the service into disrepute and damages public confidence. You did not treat the public or your colleagues with respect or courtesy.”
Mr Dean said he accepted that the officers’ “motivation was to boost morale” but “some of the clips presented cannot in any way be seen to do this”.
He said that the officers took “immediate action” to remove the clips once highlighted to them.
“I accept that in hindsight that you both have accepted that you did not consider the wider implications of your actions at the time, however there is no doubt that the clips have damaged the reputation of this constabulary,” Mr Dean said.
Last November PC Taylor was praised by Mr Dean after saving the life of a woman threatening to take her own life in Whittlesey.
Both she and a male colleague received an award given for “exceptional acts of selflessness, compassion and bravery”.
