An officer previously given a final written warning for falsifying firearms training records would now have been dismissed had she not resigned.
The Met requested a judicial review following the outcome of a misconduct hearing into the actions of former Sergeant Hayley Russell and PC Chris Strickland.
Gross misconduct was proven for both officers at the hearing in December 2021 with the panel, led by an independent legally qualified chair, determining a final written warning was the most appropriate sanction.
We felt this was too lenient in light of the allegations. A judicial review agreed the outcome should be reconsidered, and this was done by a fresh panel.
The panel determined Sgt Russell should have been dismissed and PC Strickland’s outcome should remain as a final written warning.
Detective Chief Superintendent Donna Smith, who leads the Firearms Command, said: “The allegations were extremely serious and in our view the outcome of the original hearing needed to be reviewed.
“We require all our firearms officers to train regularly and refresh their skills in order to remain competent to carry firearms operationally to keep London safe. Falsifying records to give the impression that training has taken place – as Sgt Russell did for PC Strickland – falls far below our high standards.
“Given the responsibility firearms officers have and the huge trust we place in them, this is unacceptable. It is right Sgt Russell would have been dismissed had she still been serving, and this case shows we will challenge where we think misconduct panels have not made the correct decision.”
Neither officer had been in a role carrying firearms since the initial misconduct hearing. Sgt Russell resigned from the Met before the fresh hearing, which ended on Tuesday 20 June, took place.
