UK: Police officer guilty of misconduct over selfies at the scene
According to the discipline tribunal, the officer began his offenses in 2014.
-
The Merseyside police headquarters in the UK (The Guardian)
A police officer has been found guilty of a series of offenses during his time in the Merseyside Police Department for 6 years.
At the crime scene of a murdered teenager, PC Ryan Connolly shared "appalling" racist, homophobic, and abusive images over Whatsapp. The officer was found guilty of taking and distributing photos on his personal Samsung phone.
The Merseyside Police confirmed that the officer photographed people in mental centers and hospitals as well.
The force announced that Conolly's actions are gross misconduct that "insult" the majority of those who served in the force.
Connolly resigned before the discipline tribunal in November where he was found guilty as charged. He joined the force in 2003, and according to documents filed by the tribunal, his violation of police regulations began in 2014.
Merseyside Police said Connolly and his "offensive behavior" had been apprehended by their anti-corruption team. Connolly had also been involved with a known criminal without alerting his superiors.
Images of someone who had slit their wrists, homophobic remarks, and selfies at a murder scene were all part of his transgressions. Additional photos include grossly racist images of Muslims and Ku Klux Klan members, as well as mocking images of disabled individuals.
The officer violated the privacy of an array of individuals including sharing an image of another officer's rear and photos of crime victims and a woman who had sought police help after domestic abuse.
No comment and no clue
When investigated by detectives, Connolly made no comment, but, in a written statement before his hearing, said he had no idea why his phone contained the images. However, he added, “I do have the insight to know that the images should not have been in my possession."
Ian Critchley, the Merseyside Police Deputy Chief Constable, said, “An investigation by our anti-corruption unit uncovered the fact that Connolly had been using his own phone to take photographs of vulnerable people whilst on duty and that the phone also contained appalling homophobic, racist, and offensive images.”
Merseyside police have stated that they would improve their screening methods as a result of the case. Connolly has been banned from the police force indefinitely.
