In Light Of Plebgate What Should Be The Punishment For These Pcs?

[hc4361]

I would like them both to sacked.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/audio-west-midlands-police-officers-6723769

[LazyGun]

I do not agree they should be sacked, but certainly a clip round the ear for being bloody stupid and unprofessional, and they should be offering a genuine apology to the lass in question for their unprofessionalism and any hurt/distress caused.

[Gromit]

Using a telephone properly is a basic function most people can master from a very early age. So you have to wonder at the competence of someone who cannot hang up when the person they are calling is out? It might be inconvenient for them to have to stop watching 'The Chase' at he station to have to get a statement from a victim of crime, but that is what they are paid for. If she told them she was out after 6pm, and they arrive at half past, then that just hads to their incompetence.
They need to be reassessed to see whether they are suitable for the job, and they may need to do some training to gring them up to scratch.

[Gromit]

Sorry for typos. Adds and bring.

[jno]

unprofessional is putting it mildly; they weren't doing their job. They're supposed to help the public, and these ones appear to be doing the opposite. There's a case for telling them to find themselves jobs in public relations somewhere.

[jomifl]

I can see a big compensation payout coming....

[Gromit]

Chewn.
If I left such a message on one of my employers clients answerphone I would expect to lose my job.

I once was mistakenly copied into an email that slagged off a colleague unfairly. The person who sent it was demoted and a grovelling apology made.

Just because someone is a police officer does not mean their unprofessionalism goes unpunished.

[anotheoldgit]

Gromit

/// If she told them she was out after 6pm, and they arrive at half past, then that just hads to their incompetence. ///

Like the over stretched police service, operate an appointment service?

She called them, she should have made sure that she was available to greet them whatever the time.

[ChillDoubt]

Sacked? No. It's a testicles on the table job, with a refresher course in public relations.

[Gromit]

AOG
No. She may have had commitments or prior appointments. I had to make a statement to the police once and told them I was available sunday afternoon. I got a card through my door from them on Monday morning when I was at work.

[mikey4444]

Plods have done a lot worse than this and retained their jobs. Removed from front line duties and retrained until they are safe to be let loose on the Public again.

[sandyRoe]

Apart from anything else, should they be offered a basic course in using communications equipment?

[RandyMarsh]

What a way to talk about a lady who has suffered abuse.

[andy-hughes]

I would agree with mikey - some retraining is in order here - along with an industrial-strength bollocking, and the requirment that they apologise to the young lady in question.

Apart from their appalling language, the inference that they were willing to draft a statement themselves points to an intent to commit Serious Misconduct, and there may be apropriate disciplinary proceedures for their superiors to consider.

[hc4361]

If a senior MP can lose his job because he used inappropriate language to a police officer then why shouldn't PCs lose their jobs when those use inappropriate language about a member of the public?
I know she wasn't supposed to hear it but they were hardly in the right frame of mind to be taking a victim statement from a woman who has reported domestic violence

[LazyGun]

Had they addressed her to her face in such terms, I would agree with you hc, but I do not think that such comments- clearly meant just for each other, and borne out of exasperation at not being able to complete their specific job- constitutes a sacking offence, however misguided such exasperation might be.

Certainly some retraining in how to use a phone is warranted though, and the very least they should be doing is offering a very earnest and very public apology to the woman in question.

[DaisyNonna]

Why should they be exasperated if they had been told she would not be there?
Even if she were not supposed to hear what was said it shows them to be prejudiced against her.
Why were they not named and shamed?

[joeluke]

They should be sacked and named and shamed

In any other employment if they inadvertently left such a message on the phone of someone they were dealing with in their day-to-day duties then surely they'd be sacked?

Even more so because they are serving the public - if they spoke about this woman like this who knows how they describe other victims of crime?