Another Greater Manchester Police officer has resigned in disgrace but has been granted anonymity, sparking concerns over transparency in disciplinary proceedings. The officer, referred to only as 'Officer X', faced a misconduct hearing over 'racist' and 'misogynistic' messages shared in group chats.
Chief Constable's Ruling
The hearing, held at GMP headquarters on June 2, led Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson to rule that the officer would have been dismissed with immediate effect had he not already resigned on May 11. In a published decision, Watson described the messages as 'grossly offensive and shocking'.
Watson stated that the officer had, 'over a protracted period, exchanged numerous group chat messages with a variety of associates.' These messages included texts, photographs, and voice messages that were 'demonstrably and incontrovertibly racist, misogynistic, and ableist.'
Additional Misconduct
The content also indicated that the officer had consumed illegal drugs, misused his position to pursue inappropriate sexual relationships, and failed to censure similar content from associates. Watson noted a 'willingness to ignore the possibility of criminal offences being conducted in respect of vulnerable females.'
The chief constable described the behaviour as 'persistent, repeated, deliberate, and unforced,' adding that he could find no mitigation. He called the messages 'puerile, base, and borderline illiterate.'
Recruitment Concerns
Watson emphasized that the officer, a probationary officer, 'ought never to have been recruited in the first instance.' He added that the public would view the conduct as incompatible with holding the office of constable. The officer was placed on the College of Policing barred list.
Anonymity Trend
The reason for granting anonymity in this case was not disclosed. This follows a pattern of recent misconduct hearings where officers' names have been withheld. Last month, a former GMP sergeant who touched a female officer without consent was also granted anonymity. In March, a sergeant who contacted sex workers 170 times resigned and remained anonymous.
Since the start of the year, five GMP officers accused of sexual misconduct have left the force without their names being made public, raising questions about accountability in policing.
