By James Simons-
Two police officers have been sacked after filming themselves breaking the speed limit at 89mph in a seized high-performance vehicle.
Devon and Cornwall Police officers PC Shaun Pearce and PC Daniel Pike were fired after they shared the video with colleagues on WhatsApp.
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The pair were taking part in a road safety campaign, which included preventing speeding, at the time.
A disciplinary hearing on Thursday found the officers had committed gross misconduct and should be dismissed.
They two cops have now been banned from ever working for the police in England and Wales.
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The offence which lead to the sacking exposed the hypocrisy of the officers involved.
PC Pearce and PC Pike were on road safety duty as part of the ‘Fatal Five’ campaign – which includes targeting speeding drivers – when the incident happened on 16 January 2019 , the hearing heard.
The officers had seized the vehicle, and while waiting for a recovery vehicle to arrive, drove it without the owner’s permission reaching speeds up to 89 mph over 3.1 miles.
A disciplinary hearing last week found that they had committed gross misconduct, and they were banned from working for any police force in England and Wales.
The vehicle was returned minutes later to the same position.
PC Pike, who was a passenger, filmed PC Pearce speeding.
The footage was carelessly shared with colleagues in a WhatsApp group, along with an explanation that the vehicle had to be moved rather than await recovery.
After a three-day hearing, the panel concluded the officers had breached expected standards of professional behaviour and they should be dismissed without notice.
Head of Professional Standards Det Supt Paul Kessell said: “The behaviour displayed by these officers falls well below what the force and the public expect of a police officer.
“Through their actions, they have undermined the public’s trust and confidence in the police force and taken advantage of the responsibility placed on them in their roles.
“We will not tolerate such behaviours and therefore dismissal was the right and proper outcome.”
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