After sexually abusing a female police employee while he was on duty, an Essex Police officer was fired from the force.
David Hiscock repeatedly attempted to start sexually suggestive discussions over WhatsApp with his victim, who is known as Ms. Z to protect her identity, and twice touched her private area.
After the most recent hearing on February 6, Hiscock—who had a five-year written warning for comparable proven gross misconduct—was fired without cause.
Given that Hiscock had worked for Essex for 20 years, the jury heard that the former police constable was unable to perceive that his attraction to Ms. Z was not reciprocated and neglected to take into account the enormous power imbalance in his position as a senior officer.
The statement went on to say that Hiscock was a “seasoned police officer who ought to have realised his actions were driven by his own emotional and sexual needs, and that he was acting for his own satisfaction.”
Chief Constable BJ Harrington of Essex Police, who chaired the misconduct inquiry, stated that Hiscock moved the communications from a “personal and sexual tone” to one that was “quite friendly and endearing.”
He claimed that although the conversation between Hiscock and Ms. Z was inappropriate and the threshold of discreditable conduct was broken, it was not a case of gross misconduct in and of itself.
But the physical contact “was inappropriate and constituted a sexual assault.” Gross misconduct was the term used to describe Hiscock’s actions.
“It is my assessment that there is serious harm caused by PC Hiscock’s gross misconduct as there is clear emotional harm and distress caused to Ms. Z as a victim of sexual assault,” he continued in his report dated February 6. The actions undercut the mutual trust that exists amongst Essex Police colleagues, which must be encouraged, and they also erode the confidence that women have in the department.
Additionally, PC Hiscock’s actions have damaged public confidence in law enforcement and have the potential to cause the public to lose faith in Essex Police. This is especially true for women in the public who would have been discouraged from filing a complaint with the police if the suspected officers were able to do so.
“It is imperative that I prevent harm to the public, officers, and staff, as well as to the trust and confidence in policing,” Chief Constable Harrington continued. The established charges against PC Hiscock show that he poses a risk to his coworkers and the general public, and his actions run the grave risk of undermining public confidence in Essex Police and the police force as a whole. Any result has to provide defence against these.
Officers need to understand from my decision that all of the demonstrated behaviour in this matter will not be accepted. In addition, I have to show the public that such egregious misbehaviour will not be accepted and that it will be dealt with severely with severe consequences.
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