PC sacked over lost bullet at Buckingham Palace

PC sacked over lost bullet at Buckingham Palace

Author
Discussion

NugentS

Original Poster:

689 posts

254 months

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce89jg585gno

Not sure if gross misconduct is entirely fair here - but thats just my view

Defcon5

6,303 posts

198 months

As is often the case, it’s not the mistake it’s the lying about it that is the issue

SteveScooby

809 posts

184 months

Defcon5 said:
As is often the case, it’s not the mistake it’s the lying about it that is the issue
Absolutely this, had he admitted it he’d have got a rollocking, and no doubt a bit of micky taking, but lying is what’s cost him his job.

mac96

4,421 posts

150 months

Seems harsh to me, given that he admitted what had happened of his own accord, after initially hiding it.

If he had just continued to lie would the bullet have been found, or would he have got away with it?

Donbot

4,122 posts

134 months

'Posed a risk to the royal household'. It's one round of ammunition, not a bloody landmine.

Silly to lie about it though.

Nibbles_bits

1,322 posts

46 months

DON'T fkING LIE!

Also, don't lie if you don't have the privilege of being an Inspector or above.

Honestly, in 15 years, this is why Officers get the sack. It's not normally the initial action, but the honesty and integrity issue when trying to cover it up.

Hugo Stiglitz v2

227 posts

1 month

Tuesday
quotequote all
He left a bullet laying unaccounted for on the ground? Knowingly.

The fact that that you have to declare no live rounds in your possession yet he couldn't declare that with confidence as it could also conceivably be snagged in his kit etc. But knew where it could be

Edited by Hugo Stiglitz v2 on Tuesday 19th November 06:24

borcy

5,498 posts

63 months

Tuesday
quotequote all
I wonder how the round 'fell out' of the magazine? Probably bored and ended up messing around.

freedman

5,909 posts

214 months

Tuesday
quotequote all
I can understand why he was dismissed, even if it seems harsh.

Cannot understand his mindset though, why not just say I dropped the magazine and there's a round unaccounted for?

You may get a reprimand of some description, but you're not going to lose a 24 year career over it


E-bmw

9,969 posts

159 months

Tuesday
quotequote all
mac96 said:
Seems harsh to me, given that he admitted what had happened of his own accord, after initially hiding it.
That isn't the same as admitting what happened.

What actually sounds more like the truth is he lied, they found out, and he capitulated, so he lied.

Hugo Stiglitz v2

227 posts

1 month

Tuesday
quotequote all
Yes they checked cctv

freedman

5,909 posts

214 months

Tuesday
quotequote all
Hugo Stiglitz v2 said:
Yes they checked cctv
That isn't how they found out though, according to that report

He went back and recovered the round 8 days later, handed it in and fessed up

Tom1312

1,039 posts

153 months

Tuesday
quotequote all
Best bit of advice I was ever given on joining the police...

Go honest early.

I've had several things happen to me that were less than ideal but by being honest and immediately doing what's expected I've never had any issues as a result. Including losing a round on a job (my mag also fell out at a full run not in a posh garden I might add...) but I flagged it and all the correct procedures were followed and it was located within an hour....

If this guy had told the truth immediately, they could have gone back and found the round and that would have been it, maybe with a cake fine / suitable ribbing.

Depending on what weapon he dropped the mag from it's not always user error so he's an idiot for trying to cover it up. Though if challenged 3 times about it and lied 3 times, there's not much else other than gross misconduct.

But dismissal seems overly harsh.

98elise

28,202 posts

168 months

Tuesday
quotequote all
mac96 said:
Seems harsh to me, given that he admitted what had happened of his own accord, after initially hiding it.

If he had just continued to lie would the bullet have been found, or would he have got away with it?
It's not harsh when a police officer lies to cover up his own mistake.

mac96

4,421 posts

150 months

Tuesday
quotequote all
98elise said:
mac96 said:
Seems harsh to me, given that he admitted what had happened of his own accord, after initially hiding it.

If he had just continued to lie would the bullet have been found, or would he have got away with it?
It's not harsh when a police officer lies to cover up his own mistake.
Yes he lied, but then he appears to have told the truth of his own accord which should mitigate the situation. Or where is the incentive to confess? Of course we do not know what would have happened if he had not confessed.
As posted above, it was a bullet, not a landmine.

Nibbles_bits

1,322 posts

46 months

Tuesday
quotequote all
mac96 said:
Yes he lied, but then he appears to have told the truth of his own accord which should mitigate the situation. Or where is the incentive to confess? Of course we do not know what would have happened if he had not confessed.
As posted above, it was a bullet, not a landmine.
The incentive to confess = not to lie in the first place.

LM240

4,881 posts

225 months

Tuesday
quotequote all
A spare mag dropping from a pocket or pouch and round dislodging… okay, can happen.

Mag from (likely) handgun coming out whilst holstered… odd. Unless deliberately fiddling with it.

As soon as round realised to be missing, say what happened, put in process a check of the area immediately.

As soon as you’ve lied about it, dishonesty factor comes into play. Sacked for lies not the initial act.


Sheepshanks

35,001 posts

126 months

Tuesday
quotequote all
LM240 said:
A spare mag dropping from a pocket or pouch and round dislodging… okay, can happen.

Mag from (likely) handgun coming out whilst holstered… odd. Unless deliberately fiddling with it.
....
The story reads like he was messing around with the gun while wandering around the grounds, so maybe that's a serious enough infraction to not want to admit it?

Trevatanus

11,214 posts

157 months

Tuesday
quotequote all
I suppose the question is, if he lies about this, what else could he lie about?

donkmeister

9,234 posts

107 months

Tuesday
quotequote all
I've always been honest.

For one thing, it's easier in the long run because you don't have to try and remember what lies you've told to whom. It's also less mental effort as you don't have to invent any lies in the first place.

For another thing, people will always find out eventually that you are a liar and will never trust a word you say. Which leads to this sort of situation.