West Mercia Police reinstate Shropshire PCSO

West Mercia Police have reinstated a Shropshire Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) who had been dismissed.

The PCSO was dismissed with immediate effect for Gross Misconduct following a Misconduct Hearing held on Friday 24 July 2015.

The PCSO appealed the decision at an Appeal Hearing, chaired by DCC Bangham on 6 October 2015. The Appeal Hearing found that the conduct was misconduct not gross misconduct and reinstated the PCSO.

The Hearings followed an investigation by the Professional Standards Department after an allegation of discreditable conduct was made against the PCSO relating to taking covert recordings, sharing confidential material and providing a false statement to the police.

A West Mercia Police spokesperson said: "The Appeal Hearing found that the behaviour of the Police Community Support Officer fell below the standards we expect from our officers and staff, and amounted to a breach of the Standards of Professional Behaviour. This fell outside the expectations made clear in the Code of Ethics and our joint values, and amounted to Misconduct rather than Gross Misconduct. It is for this reason that the PCSO was reinstated."