Former Sussex Police officer breached professional standards of behaviour

A former Sussex Police officer would have been dismissed if he still worked for the force after an investigation found he had taken a box of fireworks during a search of a property and had misused police records for no policing purpose.

The case of ex-PC David Seal, 43, who was based on East Sussex division, went before a misconduct hearing held at Sussex Police headquarters on Monday 22 April, in front of a panel led by an Independent Legally Qualified Chair (LQC). He did not attend the hearing.

LQCs are selected from a list of independent, legally-qualified persons to conduct police misconduct hearings, and are governed by Police Conduct Regulations. LQCs work with the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners and others to instil and embed transparency and proportionality into misconduct hearings.

The hearing was told that the ex-officer while carrying out a section 18 search of a property in East Sussex, he seized a box of fireworks without a lawful purpose and did not book them into a property store in line with force policy. He also used police record systems to inappropriately and for no policing purpose.

His behaviour was reported to the force’s Professional Standards Department who undertook an investigation and found there was a case of gross misconduct to answer.

The panel found the officer’s actions had breached Standards of Professional Behaviour in respect of honesty and integrity, duties and responsibilities, orders and instructions, confidentiality and discreditable conduct and determined that this amounted to gross misconduct.

Had the officer not resigned from the force on 9 May 2023, he would have been dismissed. He will now be added to the College of Policing Barred list.

Detective Superintendent Jon Robeson, deputy head of the force’s Professional Standards Department, said: “Police officers must behave in a manner that does not discredit the police service or undermine public confidence, whether on or off duty.

“The unacceptable conduct that has been heard here will not be tolerated but this poor behaviour should not overshadow the hard work by the vast majority of our officers, staff and volunteers within Sussex Police."