An officer from Plymouth has been dismissed without notice following a misconduct hearing chaired by Acting Chief Constable Jim Colwell.
The dismissal comes after a public hearing on September 21, where PC Ian MacQueen faced allegations of breaching the Standards of Professional Behaviour, specifically regarding Discreditable Conduct and Honesty and Integrity.
The Incident Leading to Dismissal
PC MacQueen was arrested on December 7, 2022, while off-duty, on suspicion of driving while unfit through drink.
He later pleaded guilty to the Section 5 Drink Drive offence.
On June 6, 2023, he appeared at Plymouth Magistrates’ Court, where he was disqualified from driving for 22 months and fined £827.
Throughout the duration of this case, PC MacQueen had been suspended from duty.
Panel’s Decision
After considering the evidence, Acting Chief Constable Jim Colwell concluded that PC MacQueen’s actions amounted to gross misconduct.
As a result, he was dismissed without notice and will be added to a barred list, effectively prohibiting him from working in policing or other law enforcement agencies again.
Comments from the Acting Chief Constable
Acting Chief Constable Colwell stated, “PC MacQueen’s conduct fell well below what we expect from our officers. Whether officers are on or off-duty, we expect exemplary behaviour, and where these standards are not met, we will seek to remove those individuals from the organisation.”
He added, “The principal objective of these hearings must be to preserve public confidence in the police, and the outcome of the Accelerated Misconduct Hearing is the appropriate sanction.”
A practical way to avoid finding yourself over the legal limit is to use a shop-bought breathalyser. These devices offer a quick and convenient method to test your blood-alcohol level, serving as an extra layer of assurance before you decide to drive.
For those who want to take this precautionary step, a variety of reliable breathalyzers can be found HERE
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