A Metropolitan Police officer has been terminated from his position due to serious misconduct involving improper use of police vehicles and misrepresentation of his qualifications.
A disciplinary hearing that concluded on Monday, February 23, found three allegations against Chief Inspector Andrew Du, who served in the Central North Command Unit, to be substantiated.
Misconduct Details
Chief Inspector Du was found to have driven a marked police vehicle at high speeds and activated its blue lights and sirens on multiple occasions without the necessary training or authorization, thereby endangering the safety of the public and fellow officers.
Additionally, he falsely claimed to his colleagues and superiors that he was qualified to operate an area car, which is a high-performance police vehicle, despite only possessing basic driver status that prohibited him from driving with blue lights or at high speeds.
False Claims and Consequences
Furthermore, Chief Inspector Du misled his colleagues and managers by asserting that he had previously served in the Metropolitan Police’s firearms command, a claim that was untrue.
Chief Superintendent Jason Stewart, who oversees policing in the Central North area, remarked, „Chief Inspector Du’s actions fell far below the standard people rightly expect from Met officers. Londoners need to be able to trust that officers are qualified to carry out their roles safely and in accordance with training. Leaders in the Met must uphold the highest standards and lead by example.“
Chief Inspector Du was found to have violated police standards of professional behavior concerning honesty and integrity, adherence to orders and instructions, and discreditable conduct. The severity of these violations constituted gross misconduct, warranting his immediate dismissal.
As a result, he will be added to the barred list maintained by the College of Policing, which prohibits individuals on the list from being employed by police forces and various other policing-related organizations.
