Overview
- A misconduct panel chaired by Craig Holden dismissed the anonymised officer without notice on 25 February at Avon and Somerset Police HQ in Portishead and upheld reporting restrictions on her identity.
- Professional Standards Department data flagged her 2024 keystroke activity as three to eight times higher than peers, triggering an investigation opened in June that year.
- Evidence presented said she weighed down keys on the majority of shifts in April and May, with reports differing on whether this occurred in 2024 or 2025; local reporting cited 25 shifts totaling 41.5 hours and about £1,073 in pay.
- The sergeant admitted using a picture frame to stop her laptop sleeping and said she was monitoring calls during personal difficulties, while claims of bullying were rejected by the force’s barrister and not accepted by the panel.
- The panel found gross misconduct, placed her on the barred list for policing and other law‑enforcement roles, and the force said the conduct risked undermining public confidence.