Police officer suspended for illegally checking on drug dealers
APOLICE officer who illegally accessed the force’s database to check on local drug dealers was arrested and found to have traces of cocaine on his wallet and credit cards.
Pc Steven Burns, 39, who lives in Tameside and was based in Stockport, used the GMP’s ‘OPUS’ intelligence system more than 70 times and also looked up his own mobile number, his wife’s name and his car registration.
The officer has been suspended by Greater Manchester Police and hauled before Manchester’s magistrates.
Burns admitted three offences of misusing police computers between November 2014 and May 2016 ‘with intent to secure access to data that was unauthorised’.
The court heard when Burns was arrested traces of cocaine were found on his credit cards and his wallet.
Susan Taylor, prosecuting, said suspicion arose when a drug dealer was arrested and Burns’ mobile number was found in his phone. An investigation found Burns had been flouting the laws on using police intelligence. She said: “Steven Burns abused his position of trust as a police officer. High standards of integrity are expected of police officers and there are clear rules about the use of police computer systems.
“The evidence was indisputable that Pc Burns had broken the law in misusing the police systems on many occasions.”
In mitigation, Christopher Fallows said the officer had not shared any information with third parties or used it for financial gain.
He said: “It was a breach of trust but he claimed his offences had not caused information to be spread beyond GMP and he had not conducted the checks at the behest of an organised crime group.
“He was looking at the details of the people he associated with for his own information and no complaint has been received from the persons whose data had been accessed.
“The defendant expresses his remorse and understands his reputation has been forever tarnished.”
He was given a threeyear conditional discharge and ordered to pay £350 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.
Chief Supt Annette Anderson, from GMP’s professional standards branch, said: “Police officers are not above the law and if they commit a criminal offence they must face the consequences.”
Pc Burns declined to comment.