Police Officer Dismissed Over Inappropriate Relationship and Misconduct

A police officer has been dismissed from service for leveraging his position to pursue an “improper” relationship. Former PC Mark McKirdy, who was part of Cumbria Constabulary, was determined to have committed gross misconduct following a hearing conducted on Tuesday, as confirmed by the force. The misconduct panel also heard that Mr. McKirdy transmitted “highly inappropriate and disrespectful” messages concerning a member of the public. Chief Constable Rob Carden stated: “When one officer acts in such a way, it discredits all officers, which is why such actions are treated so seriously.” Mr. McKirdy had previously submitted his resignation and was scheduled to leave the force next month; however, the constabulary proceeded with an accelerated misconduct hearing. For further updates, BBC Cumbria can be followed on X, Facebook, Nextdoor, and Instagram. Story ideas may be sent to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC does not assume responsibility for the content of external sites. Details on our approach to external linking are available.