Two Northumbria Police officers are facing allegations of gross misconduct after it was alleged that they failed to record the seizure of drugs upon arrest of a male who was in possession of cocaine.
On December 27, 2021, Special Constable Kieran Parkin-Ormston and PC Lewis Mahon responded to a call for concern for the safety of a male, referred to as person A, who was believed to be in possession of a blade. Whilst at the scene, officers seized a small quantity of cocaine and the male was arrested for possession of a bladed article.
It is alleged that when the officers filed a handover package detailing the arrest, both failed to record the seizure of drugs and did not give a truthful explanation at first as to where the drugs were.
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Today a police misconduct hearing opened at Old Magistrates Court, in Houghton Le Spring, following allegations that their conduct breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour, in particular honesty and integrity and duties and responsibilities.
The panel heard that SC Parkin-Ormston and PC Mahon were despatched to the call for concern for person A at 00.24 and located him at approximately 00.39. Person A then told SC Parkin-Ormston and PC Mahon that he had a knife in his pocket.
Body cam footage played during the hearing showed that the officers worked to detain person A, and once handcuffed, he claimed that he had thrown the blade away before telling officers he had cocaine in his pocket. No cocaine is found during the search, but SC Parkin-Ormston later finds a small quantity of cocaine on the floor.
The panel heard that PC Mahon was then instructed by supervision to arrest person A for possession of a bladed article, however PC Mahon claims he does not recall being asked to arrest person A for possession of cocaine.
At approximately 04.50, SC Parkin-Ormston and PC Mahon left person A to return to the station and file a handover package detailing the incident. However, when this was handed in to a supervising officer to review, the supervising officer raised concern that the discovery of cocaine was omitted from the handover.
The panel heard that when challenged about the exclusion of the discovery of cocaine from the report, both officers claimed that it was an oversight. However, SC Parkin-Ormston and PC Mahon later said they had lost the cocaine.
A search of the police vehicle, which was conducted by other officers that morning, recovered the cocaine from the centre console of the vehicle.
The panel heard that the officers have no previous disciplinaries and SC Parkin-Ormston was described during one witness statement as an exemplary officer, who was a mentor to Special Constables who were starting their career.
The hearing continues.
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