Three special sergeants guilty of gross misconduct
Three serving Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) officers have had allegations of gross misconduct proven after they failed to arrest a shoplifter.
Whilst on patrol in a police van in May 2019, Special Police Sergeant (SPS) Edward McKiernan, SPS Arun Shandal and SPS Russell Lee were flagged down regarding two suspicious males on bicycles.
One of the males was detained and was found to be in possession of stolen property from a retail store. Despite the suspect admitting handling stolen goods the officers did not arrest him.
Instead, the suspect was sent on his way and the clothing returned to the store it was stolen from saying that it was ‘found on the street’.
The incident was not recorded on police systems other than being a ‘satisfactory stop’.
At a hearing on Thursday June 24, the legally qualified chair considered all of the information from the appropriate authority and concluded that SPS McKiernan and SPS Shandal had breached the Standards of Professionalism in respect to duties and responsibilities and that the allegation of gross misconduct was proven.
SPS Lee was found to have breached the Standards of Professionalism in respect to duties and responsibilities and honesty and integrity and the allegation of gross misconduct was proven.
SPS McKiernan and SPS Shandal both received written warnings while SPS Lee was dismissed without notice.
