Firearms PC smelt of alcohol at work, says panel
BBCA police firearms officer turned up to work smelling of alcohol and "ready to draw his weapons for the day", a misconduct panel heard.
Cambridgeshire Police said PC Daniel Colbert drove to work while over the legal alcohol limit on 20 July 2024.
A colleague breathalysed the officer, who was found to be over the limit, and he was arrested.
A misconduct hearing, held earlier this month, concluded Colbert's behaviour amounted to gross misconduct and said he would have been dismissed had he not already resigned.
The panel said Colbert had gone out on 19 July 2024 at about 14:30 BST, consuming several alcoholic drinks with friends during the afternoon and evening, including seven beers, two cocktails and one shot.
The following morning, the officer "arrived fully kitted and ready to draw his weapons for the day", while appearing flustered about being late and struggling to find his locker keys, the panel was told.
A colleague walked past Colbert and was "hit by an unmistakable smell of alcohol".
He was breathalysed and a reading at 40 micrograms per 100ml was recorded, over the drink-drive limit, and he was then arrested on suspicion of driving over the prescribed limit.
The force said it then took evidential samples from Colbert once in custody, but after these gave readings below the limit, it was decided no further action would be taken.
He provided a written response to the allegations, indicating he did not accept his behaviour amounted to gross misconduct, but accepted it amounted to misconduct.
Colbert said he was "ashamed of his actions" and "was aware that it had been completely unacceptable".
He said it was an "isolated incident" and explained that his ex-girlfriend showed up during the evening, bringing up "a lot of emotions".
The hearing was held at Lysander House in Tempsford, Bedfordshire, on 14 April, and the force said Colbert did not attend.
Chief Constable Simon Megicks said: "This behaviour fell below the standards expected and had the potential to place others at risk.
"Such actions risk undermining public confidence in the police service."
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