By Sheila Mckenzie
A volunteer Northamptonshire Police officer has been sacked over a string of online chat posts condoning violence against his partner’s attacker.
Special Constable Max Button was fired for sending “aggressive” and “inappropriate” messages in a private Facebook group on May 12 last year,following the assault on his partner, also a police officer.
Mr Button was further accused of posting confidential information in relation to a question about a large police presence in Corby on June 2.
The Facebook group comprised of serving Northamptonshire Police officers, but also included three people who no longer worked for the Force. The offence is shocking and serves to bring the police to disrepute.
Mr Button admitted breaching the standards of professional behaviour relating to confidentiality and discreditable conduct at a hearing in August, when the panel concluded the allegations amounted to gross misconduct.
The disciplinary panel sitting at Police HQ at Wootton Hall Park ruled: “The officer sent inappropriate messages, containing unacceptable, abusive and aggressive comments and/or confidential information to the messenger group relating to a perpetrator of an assault.
“On a separate date, he went on to condone violence and made aggressive comments and/or provided confidential information about the perpetrator to a prison officer. The perpetrator was at the prison where the prison officer was based.
“On a separate date, the officer was asked what had happened in Corby due to police presence and the officer responded providing confidential information and/or operational information.
“The panel considered the available evidence and found the allegations to amount to gross misconduct and determined that the most suitable outcome was dismissal without notice.