A former special constable flashed his warrant card to carry out two impromptu searches of people’s homes when looking for a relative’s laptop.
Matthew White put himself on duty when his brother-in-law told him the laptop, which he had left on a train, was showing up in the area through his find-your-phone app.
The 30-year-old volunteer police officer faced a gross misconduct hearing after he spent two minutes searching one property before spending a further 15 minutes in the other, including going through bedroom drawers.
An accelerated misconduct hearing was told how Mr White, who had been volunteering as a special for four years, had left the two householders feeling tricked and uncomfortable after learning the searches were carried out without legal authority.
Temporary Inspector Simon Clarke said the 30-year-old carried out the searches on June 12 last year and resigned from the force the following month after an investigation was launched.
He said evidence of the searches was captured on Ring doorbell footage where the former volunteer used his warrant card to gain entry to the two homes as well as knocking on other doors in the area.
Temp Insp Clark said: “He was in the home for approximately two minutes searching the address before leaving. He left no details when he left.
“The second person described it as ‘surreal’ she said it didn’t feel right and was invasive as he searched her home including her bedroom. The search lasted for approximately 15 minutes.
“She said it left her shocked, disgusted and very angry, which had damaged her trust in Cleveland Police.”
Police Federation representative Paul Crowley told the hearing that the former officer genuinely believed that he was acting professionally when he carried out the searches.
“The officer does not accept that his actions amount to discreditable conduct,” he said.
“He does accept that he told them he was a police officer and showed his police card.”
The tribunal heard how the former officer was adamant that he would have acted in exactly the same way if a regular member of the public approached him with the same information.
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Chief Constable Mark Webster ruled that the two searches were not legal and amounted to gross misconduct and he would have been sacked.
He said: “I don’t accept this was a brief incident, it consisted of two searches and knocking on doors of other properties.
“I find that he would have been dismissed if he had remained a serving officer.”
Speaking after the hearing, he added: “We need to maintain public confidence in the force. We clearly take into account that the public expect officers to behave appropriately.”
The former officer's name has now been added to the College of Policing's barred list.
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