An accelerated misconduct hearing for PC Oliver Dines was held on Tuesday 8 March resulting in the officer being dismissed without notice.
The hearing, chaired by Chief Constable Pippa Mills, heard that student officer PC Dines had used his work mobile phone on various occasions to enter premium SMS radio competitions.
Between 1 June and 23 August 2021 there were numerous competition entries which cost West Mercia Police £255.46
The officer’s action breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour for Honesty and Integrity.
Chief Constable Mills said: “It would have been clear that every entry to the competition was at the taxpayer’s expense, totalling more than £255.46. Honesty and integrity is not negotiable for a police officer.
“Police officers are expected to act with honesty and integrity in everything they do, and this was clearly lacking in PC Dines’ behaviour.
“I am committed to taking whatever action is needed to make sure that West Mercia Police is a force that the public can trust and be proud of.”
