A police officer, PC Gabriella Gilchrist, has been terminated and prohibited from the profession for engaging in “entirely inappropriate” communication with an individual on bail.
A misconduct panel determined that PC Gabriella Gilchrist, previously of Wiltshire Police, did not terminate communication with the individual despite the measures established for her protection.
The hearing, conducted at Wiltshire Police headquarters from 28 April to 2 May, determined that Ms. Gabriella Gilchrist’s conduct constituted gross misconduct.
Deputy Chief Constable Mark Cooper stated: “We are steadfast in our dedication to eliminating any conduct that does not meet the expectations and entitlements of our communities.”
The panel evaluated six accusations against Ms. Gabriella Gilchrist and affirmed each one.
She was determined to have violated the rules of professional conduct including commands and instructions, honesty and integrity, and discreditable behaviour.
Consequently, she was terminated without prior warning and would be barred from future employment in law enforcement.
DCC Cooper stated: “PC Gabriella Gilchrist has been discovered to have been associating with an individual with whom such an association was wholly inappropriate.”
“Gabriella Gilchrist has neglected to adhere to the proper protocols regarding the registration of her association with this individual, despite having been instructed to do so.”
He implemented procedures for registering notifiable associations to ensure the integrity of officers, safeguard the public, and “mitigate the risk of corruption or information compromise”.
“Gabriella Gilchrist has initiated communication with the male in an attempt to persuade him to violate the bail conditions established for her protection,” he continued.
These activities significantly fail to meet the public’s expectations of honesty and integrity in police officers, even when off duty.
PC Gilchrist has neglected her responsibilities and has appropriately been held accountable for her conduct.
“We can only maintain and enhance trust and confidence within our communities by eliminating wrongdoing from our organisation.”
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