PC Nicholas Francis was accused of discreditable conduct after he was filmed flashing his warrant card to the camera when socialising off duty with a man who appeared to be taking drugs.
PC Francis accepted his behaviour breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour, but argued it amounted to misconduct rather than gross misconduct.
An accelerated misconduct hearing was told PC Francis was off duty and not in uniform when he was filmed with a man – referred to as Person A – on September 22 last year.
In the footage, Person A appeared intoxicated or under the influence, and looked to have a white substance which was “likely” drugs around his nose.
PC Francis appeared to be “highly intoxicated” in the video, though he maintained this was from alcohol only.
Person A recorded himself saying ‘Get your badge out by here’, to which PC Francis replied ‘I’m not getting my badge out butt’. Person A then says ‘Come on I’m sending it to my brother’.
After again refusing, PC Francis then got out a Gwent Police wallet and showed his warrant card bearing his name and collar number to the camera.
The other man says ‘Copper’, to which PC Francis replies ‘Copper’.
Person A then said ‘It’s f***ing absolute madness, I’m f***ing getting on it with a copper’.
The video was subsequently shared with the Gwent Police’s Counter Corruption Unit.
The hearing was told PC Francis had been so drunk he could not remember the video being taken.
The officer said he was unaware Person A was using drugs. However Assistant Chief Constable Nicolas McLain, who chaired the panel, said the men’s proximity to each other and “the overt nature of the male’s substance use” meant the officer would likely have been aware.
It was heard that PC Francis admitted misconduct at an early stage, expressed “genuine remorse” for his actions, and had since made attempts to improve his lifestyle and behaviour.
PC Francis said he was “struggling with difficult and emotional personal circumstances” at the time of the incident.
It was added the misconduct was brief and not part of a pattern of behaviour.
ACC McLain said he was satisfied the incident caused harm and damage to the reputation of Gwent Police and the wider police service.
“The public expects police officers to uphold the highest standards and behave in accordance with the Code of Ethics whether they are on or off duty,” he said.
“I was in no doubt that the public would be shocked if they were to learn that a serving police officer was responsible for the conduct as displayed on the video.”
ACC McLain found the allegation was proven as gross misconduct, and considered the breach was so serious that the officer was dismissed without notice.
PC Francis will now be placed on the College of Policing’s barred list.
