Former police officer found to have breached standards of professional behaviour

A former police officer has had allegations of breaching standards of professional behaviour proven against him.

Former PC Sam Bate, 26, was the subject of an accelerated misconduct hearing chaired by the Chief Constable at Sussex Police Headquarters, Lewes, on Wednesday 9 February.

An accelerated misconduct hearing is held when there is incontrovertible evidence and it is in the public interest to remove the officer from service as soon as possible, or in the case of an ex-officer, to have them placed on the barred list.

He faced allegations of breaching standards of professional behaviour in respect of Honesty and Integrity, Orders and Instructions, Duties and Responsibilities, Confidentiality, Authority, Respect and Courtesy, and Discreditable Conduct, after an investigation by the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) found he had pursued inappropriate relationships with three separate young women who he had come into contact with in the course of his police duties.

The hearing heard he had inappropriate contact with a woman known as Ms A and conducted improper access to police records relating to her.

He failed to properly investigate a road traffic incident relating to another woman known as Ms B. He also had inappropriate contact with her and conducted improper access to police records relating to her.

He had inappropriate contact with a third woman known as Ms C and conducted improper access to police records relating to her.

PC Bate admitted the allegations, and resigned in January ahead of the hearing.

The allegations against PC Bate were found to be proven by Chief Constable Jo Shiner, with a decision that he would have been dismissed from the force had he not resigned.

CC Jo Shiner said: "We expect our officers to act with the upmost integrity, and in accordance with the force’s values, the Code of Ethics and the Standards of Professional Behaviour. The actions of the officer fell short of that, and there is no place in Sussex Police for such behaviour.

“I am extremely proud of the staff, officers and volunteers working for Sussex Police. The unacceptable conduct that has been heard here will not be tolerated. This poor behaviour should not overshadow the hard work of others.”