Former Police Inspector Barred Over Misconduct Allegations

An ex-police inspector has been prohibited from serving in law enforcement following incidents involving messaging a sex worker and using a Tinder profile picture that showed him in uniform with a firearm. Inspector James Wyatt was determined to have engaged in gross misconduct for communicating with the woman through a website and negotiating fees for her offerings. His name was placed on the police barred list subsequent to an expedited hearing conducted by Gloucestershire Police. Mr. Wyatt also faced allegations of violating data protection protocols by disclosing private details concerning a woman who had sought to join the police force. Mr. Wyatt visited her place of employment and revealed information about her application to a colleague. Giles Bedloe, who presented the case on behalf of the Appropriate Authority, indicated that Mr. Wyatt’s presence at the applicant’s workplace constituted “an element of stalking”. “It was deeply inappropriate and caused significant impact,” he stated. Assistant Chief Constable Arman Mathieson, the presiding officer of the hearing, similarly described the action as “deeply inappropriate”. “She was left embarrassed by the attendance of a serving police officer at her place of work,” he commented. Although Mr. Wyatt was absent from the hearing held at Gloucestershire Police HQ, he did not contest the details of the four accusations. Furthermore, he was accused of neglecting to inform the force about two business interests he possessed and of creating a Tinder profile featuring an image of himself in uniform, holding a long-barrelled firearm. Mr. Mathieson noted that existing police regulations at the time did not prohibit officers from contacting sex workers, but emphasized that officers should recognize the “vulnerabilities” of individuals involved in that profession due to potential risks of trafficking or becoming victims of organized crime. However, Mr. Mathieson further stated that there was “no evidence” indicating Mr. Wyatt had obtained the services of the sex worker. He remarked: “In conclusion taking into account all the circumstances together, there is a considerable amount of evidence of a lack of judgment and poor decision making that the public would not expect from a serving police officer. “He is highly culpable, and he has no one else to blame. His actions were deliberate. “He is unaware of the harm he has caused to himself, his colleagues, the public and the wider police service.” Mr. Mathieson concluded that the violations of behavioral standards were severe enough to constitute gross misconduct.