Racist and offensive text messages ends police officer’s career

A POLICE officer who resigned from the force for sending racist text messages cannot be identified for legal reasons.

On Monday, October 29, Thames Valley

Police Chief Constable Francis Habgood held a misconduct hearing for the officer, who can only be known as Officer A.

He was found guilty of gross misconduct after breaching the Standards of Professional Behaviour in respect of Discreditable Conduct, Authority, Respect and Courtesy and Equality and Diversity.

Thames Valley Police said that it had carried out an investigation in which the former officer’s mobile telephone was examined by investigators. It contained a number of racist and offensive text messages which were shared with members of the public on various dates between April 1 last year and January 15 this year.

Detective Chief Superintendent Chris Ward, Head of Professional Standards for Thames

Valley Police, said: “The texts sent were racist, offensive and very unpleasant.

“They undermine the excellent work carried out by hard-working police officers every day and we are resolute in our determination to expose the minority of our staff who hold such views and behave in this way.

“The public can be reassured that there is no place for people who behave like this in policing.”

At the hearing, held at the force’s headquarters in Kidlington, Oxfordshire, Chief Constable Francis Habgood concluded that the matters were proven and so serious that had the officer not resigned, they would have been dismissed from the Police Service.

The former officer will be registered on

The College of Policing’s Barred List, He was also granted anonymity following legal representations.