A Metropolitan Police officer who used a work phone to send out pictures of his penis while on duty has been spared the sack.
The PC, who was granted anonymity in the misconduct proceedings, sent the lewd messages over the course of a year between January 2024 and January 2025.
Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, who is in charge of professionalism at the Met, decided the officer was guilty of gross misconduct.
But he spared him instant dismissal, ruling instead that a final written warning is the appropriate punishment.
“Between 25th January 2024 and 20th January 2025 (inclusive) you engaged in inappropriate sexual communications on your Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) work mobile phone”, the senior officer wrote in his ruling.
“The messages sent included the sending of eight photographs of your penis, five of which were taken whilst on duty.”
He said the actions “brings the MPS into disrepute and undermines public confidence in the MPS”, finding the culpability was ‘high’ as he “should have known that he should not use his MPS issued work phone to send such images, and he did”.
But Asst Comm Taylor concluded the reputational damage to the force is “limited”, as the actions were inappropriate but not against the law.
“I recognise that the public would be concerned if they knew officers conducting this sort of activity whilst on duty”, he continued.
“However, the messages and images themselves appear to have been sent to consenting adults.”
The officer, referred to as PC A, apologised for his actions, has sought professional medical help, and sought to blame the “demand and nature of the work he was involved in”.
“Clearly PC A’s behaviour, as admitted, was entirely unacceptable”, concluded Asst Comm Taylor.
“However, based on the evidence before me I am prepared to accept the mitigation presented and believe that PC A has already taken steps to address and learn from his behaviour in relation to inappropriately using his MPS issued phone.
“In my view, after very careful consideration of the unique circumstances in this individual case, I determine that a final written warning is the most appropriate outcome.
“However, since I have considered the seriousness of this breach of the standards of professional behaviour as high, this final written warning shall be in place for a period of two years.”
