Police officer 'struck off over a speeding ticket' thanked by public for his service
The officer was found to have been dishonest in the manner in which he challenged the ticket - after being caught speeding whilst en route to help colleagues
A sacked Devon and Cornwall Police officer says he's been sent messages from the public thanking him for his ‘life saving bravery’ during his career - after being struck off for what he calls a 'disproportionate' offence.
Sergeant Tim Perrin was dismissed for gross misconduct for the words he used when enquiring about whether a speeding ticket - issued whilst in his own car in Totnes but en-route to help colleagues in Plymouth - could be repealed.
The force found Mr Perrin was not 'honest' in the way he characterised the reason for the speeding - despite, after checking with a superior, accepting and paying the fine.
Mr Perrin has since shared a thank you message after previously rescuing someone from a cliff fall in Torquay and 'putting his life on the line' to help someone else.
He said, following his dismissal: "I think it's hugely disproportionate' and do the public really expect a 20-year commended and decorated highly skilled and experienced police sergeant - who the force have invested tens of thousands of pounds into - to be dismissed for something like this?"
"I felt that I had a valid policing purpose. When I wasn't supported, I did feel frustrated but ultimately I accepted the ticket, paid the fine, took the points and (I thought) that was it."
What happened?
In August 2023 Former Sergeant Tim Perrin said he was asked to work at a custody site in Plymouth to help out colleagues the following morning. He did not believe a pool car would be available from Torquay and so used his own vehicle. The former officer initially looked to challenge the speeding ticket, from a camera in Totnes, as he believed he was on 'official police business' at the time - something he later retracted after seeking advice and paid.
A final report, following a 163-page evidence file, concluded 'the officer was not driving a vehicle for a policing purpose and could not fall within the speed limit exemption'. It also added the request to help a colleague was not a 'late notice move' therefore the account given could 'amount to a breach of the standards of professional behaviour of honesty and integrity'.
The hearing was told on August 30th, 2023, the officer had a conversation with a superior who advised she 'expected (he) would have read the law and the approved professional practice' and he replied to the ticket office on September 1, 2023 to admit liability and begin the payment process.
The panel found his belief that there would not be an available police pool car at Torquay, for him to use to travel to Plymouth, was an ‘assumption’ - but not dishonest - and based on his experience. It also found he did not have business insurance in his personal car, which was an 'honest mistake'.
The report concluded: "The panel found the officer to largely be an articulate witness who had clearly been a passionate and professional police officer and was rightly proud of his prior service. However at times the panel did not believe that the officer was being honest."
It added: "He ultimately accepted the speeding penalty and the panel is neither concerned with that - nor with the fact of him exploring whether any exemption might apply by raising a query with senior officers" - and continued 'the sole issue' was whether the contents of 'Form 51' were 'intentionally untruthful and or misleading'.
What has Devon & Cornwall Police said?
Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Dave Thorne said: “This matter was never about a speeding offence in isolation, it is about a police officer upholding the highest levels of honesty and integrity – something I hope the public would expect, respect and understand.
“In this case, concerns around Mr Perrin’s honesty and integrity were internally reported to our professional standards department and were appropriately investigated as a result.
“Police officers are given privilege and power, with that comes a requirement to abide by standards of professional behaviour which all officers are made aware of from the moment they are recruited and trained.
“While these standards maybe considered high, it is entirely necessary to ensure police officers have legitimacy and the trust of our communities.”
Temporary DCC Thorne added: “In this case the gross misconduct panel did not accept the account provided by the officer to be true and that his actions showed a lack of integrity and subsequent undermining of public confidence in the police service.
“We must build public trust and confidence with our communities and demonstrate that no police officer is above the law or able to undermine our legitimacy at any point."