Officers Given Warning After Hitting Deer With Tool
Two Durham police officers have found guilty of gross misconduct after killing a deer with a tool.
Two Durham police officers have found guilty of gross misconduct after killing a deer with a tool.
Andrew Pittilla and Brian Clewlow have been removed from firearms duty after they killed an injured deer with a tool.
They have also been given final written warnings.
The two officers were first called to reports of an injured deer in Tanfield Lea in Stanley in June 2014, they moved it to a woodland after it started walking.
Just two days later they were called out to the same deer, and hit it with a large blunt tool to destroy the animal.
A panel hearing found the officers weren’t intending to be cruel, but didn’t follow procedure to shoot the animal.
A Force spokesman said: “Durham Constabulary regrets the actions of the officers. Our partnership with the public and its confidence in police actions is paramount to us.
“We expect our officers to adhere to the Code of Ethics, which defines our legitimacy, at all times.
“Balancing the allegations proven, the single nature of the incident and the health of the officers’ misconduct history the panel feel that an outcome of a final written warning for each officer was proportionate in the circumstances.
“The lessons from this incident will be considered in some depth and will be used to improve the Force response to such incidents in the future.”