Car stunt leads to dismissal of two police officers

TWO Devon and Cornwall Police officers have been dismissed without notice after filming themselves driving at 89mph in a seized car.

Police Constables Shaun Pearce and Daniel Pike were found to have committed gross misconduct during the incident in January, 2019.

Devon and Cornwall Police said the officers were on duty in the “No Excuses” road safety team at the time.

It was alleged that on January 16, 2019, the officers had seized a vehicle as part of “The Fatal Five” campaign, which aims to tackle issues such as speeding.

A force spokesman said: “They had seized a vehicle and whilst awaiting the arrival of a recovery vehicle, and without the consent of the vehicle’s owner, Pc Pearce drove the vehicle for 3.1 miles, at one point reaching a speed of 89mph.

“The vehicle was returned minutes later to the same position,” the spokesman added. “Pc Pike was a passenger and filmed part of the driving, including the excessive speed. This footage was then shared with other officers via a WhatsApp group.

“The officers then gave an explanation for the necessity to move the vehicle rather than it remain in situ awaiting recovery.”

Following a three-day public hearing, a misconduct panel concluded that the allegations were proven, the force said.

The officers were found to have breached the expected standards of professional behaviour during the incident. They were dismissed without notice from Devon and Cornwall Police on March 25. Their details will be submitted to the College of Policing Barred List, preventing them from working within policing.

Detective Superintendent Paul Kessell, head of professional standards at Devon and Cornwall Police, said: “The behaviour displayed by these officers falls well below what the force and the public expect of a police officer.

“Through their actions, they have undermined the public’s trust and confidence in the police force and taken advantage of the responsibility placed on them in their roles.

“We will not tolerate such behaviours and therefore dismissal was the right and proper outcome.”