'Frustrated' officer accessed confidential police logs after crime he reported 'took too long'

File image
-Credit:PA


A police officer accessed confidential force logs after being left 'frustrated' over the time it took to investigate a crime he had reported, a disciplinary panel has heard. PC Singh 'repeatedly' accessed West Midlands Police systems for his own 'self-interest and gain'.

He 'misused' the systems for non-policing purposes', making checks on a probe into a crime he had reported and snooping on people involved in a dispute. Police chiefs said he 'knew the rules and deliberately chose to break them'.

Singh quit the force last year before his disciplinary hearing. He was found to have breached standards of professional behaviour, which amounts to 'serious' gross misconduct.

ADVERTISEMENT

READ MORE: Prince William forced to cancel royal event at the last minute as Palace issues statement

Don't miss the biggest and breaking stories by signing up to the BirminghamLive newsletter here.

It means that he would have been dismissed if he had still been working, an accelerated misconduct hearing was told. A panel heard how Singh carried out 17 searches on three police systems between April 26, 2022, and December 29, 2023.

The searches were 'in relation to which he had a personal interest'. A report read: "The checks that he made were in search of information on a crime he had reported, a vehicle he had owned and some people he knew who had been involved in some sort of dispute."

Singh was said to be 'frustrated' with the 'time it took to investigate matters'. The report added: "All officers are fully aware that where any crime involving themselves takes place that they must always refer any questions or concerns to a supervisor.

ADVERTISEMENT

"This ensures confidentiality, transparency and oversight." Singh resigned from the force last May ahead of the misconduct hearing, which was held in December.

But he responded to the allegations against him before he quit, admitting carrying out the checks and accepting his wrongdoing. He also said he did not share the information he found on the systems.

But the former officer was said to have known 'perfectly well what he was doing'. He carried out 'deliberate actions' which were 'devoid of integrity', with his conduct described as 'systemic'.

He also showed a 'blatant disregard' for his training and the force's reputation. The report read: "The reasons this is serious gross misconduct are that the officer had recently been trained, the systems contain numerous warnings and all officers must remain both independent and impartial.

"They should only check systems with a proper policing purpose, never for personal gain." It added: "Such actions bring discredit upon the organisation as they also undermine public trust, especially in the way the public trust the service to respect the confidentiality of data and to use it only for legitimate policing purposes, never for their own personal gain."

The panel heard the ex-officer had just under three years' service and 'no adverse disciplinary findings on his record'. The report continued: "He did not have a proper policing purpose for accessing police systems on these occasions and in doing so, his actions breached the standards of professional behaviour relating to confidentiality and discreditable conduct."