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Police officers sacked for 'despicable' on-duty filming of vulnerable people
Investigators found the officers filmed and photographed 18 vulnerable people and shared some images with sexualised commentary, prompting dismissals and no criminal charges.
On Friday, the Police Ombudsman revealed that two Police Service of Northern Ireland officers were dismissed for filming and photographing 18 vulnerable people they were tasked to assist between 2016 and 2021.
Evidence of the officers' activities emerged following a 2021 investigation into Officer A, who was accused of abusing his position to form an improper relationship with a woman he met on duty.
Officer A and Officer B shared images via WhatsApp containing "sexualised, derogatory and demeaning commentary," featuring individuals in homes, hospitals, and police vehicles, the report stated.
Police Ombudsman Jacqui Durkin described the conduct as "utterly despicable," while PSNI Deputy Chief Constable Bobby Singleton labelled the actions as "horrifying."
A separate probe found 74 officers accessed body-worn footage "without legitimate reason for doing so," prompting management action as the PSNI faces broader professional standards scrutiny.