A police officer who urinated in a clothes shop fitting room during a day out drinking with her friends has kept her job despite not being honest with her supervisors about what happened.
PC Amerlia Shearer, 24, of Cleveland Police, was found guilty in 2021 of gross misconduct following the incident in a York branch of Urban Outfitters.
A disciplinary panel in Middlesbrough found her conduct was discreditable, and she had been dishonest.
Rather than sacking the officer, the panel issued her a final written warning.
The panel’s chairwoman, Ogheneruona Iguyovwe, said:
“There is scope for her to be rehabilitated, there is scope for her to set the record straight and to begin on a new path.”
Ms Iguyovwe had earlier pointed out that police officers were “expected to maintain high standards of behaviour” and should consider if their actions might cause a loss of confidence in the police.
“Officers are required to act with integrity and honesty at all times,” she said.
For three days, the panel was told that the probationer had been in York with a friend while off-duty on 11th September.
For four hours, the officer drank half a bottle of Prosecco, three cocktails and a Jack Daniels and Coke before going to the store.
While there, she is alleged to have asked a sales assistant if the store had toilets, and when told it did not, she went into a changing room cubicle.
PC Shearer, who studied for a Masters in criminal investigations before joining the police in 2019, admitted she had been drunk and described herself and her friend as “loud and giggly”.
But she denied relieving herself in the store.
PC Shearer claimed to have used the changing rooms to adjust her bra – but had told her superior, Insp Christian Duree, she had been trying on clothes during a phone call the day after it happened.
She explained that she only gave him an “abridged version” of events, but Cleveland Police accused her of lying – and the panel agreed.
Olivia Checa-Dover, acting for the force, said the conclusion that PC Shearer had been dishonest meant she was now “undeployable”.
She said the fact the officer had lied while being questioned on oath would have to be disclosed to defence lawyers in any future investigations she carried out.
Joan Smith, for the defendant, said PC Shearer had unfailingly denied the claims, had good references, and her inspector had described her performance as “excellent”.
She said the officer had the potential to be “exceptional” and to “flourish in this police force with the appropriate guidance”.

Join our WhatsApp community!
ESN is now on WhatsApp, and we want you to join our communities.
To join, you need to have WhatsApp on your device. All you need to do is click the link and press 'Join community'.
No one will be able to see who is signed up, and no one can send messages except the ESN team.
Joining our WhatsApp channel is a great way to help support our work and best of all, it is free!
If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community, click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Before you read or leave a comment...
In an age where mainstream media often overlooks the sacrifices made by our emergency services personnel, Emergency Services News is a critical voice you can trust
While we persist in our mission, we need your help to continue. Your donation directly enables us to produce high-quality content that elevates the stories and challenges faced by the men and women who serve, stories that are often ignored elsewhere.
We deeply appreciate your support. Your contribution empowers us to keep shining a light on the remarkable, yet often overlooked, individuals who serve our communities every day. Thank you for standing with us.
You can support emergency services news from as little as £1. It only takes a minute. Every contribution, however big or small, is vital for our future.
Please help us to continue to highlight the life-saving work of the emergency services, NHS and armed forces by becoming a supporter.
They look after their own.