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West Midlands Police Officer Given Four-Year Final Warning for Harassing Colleague

The decision shows how police misconduct panels separate harassment from sexual misconduct.

Overview

  • Following a February misconduct hearing, a West Midlands Police panel found PC Browning breached professional standards and issued a four-year final written warning.
  • The panel ruled his persistent messages and calls to an anonymised colleague amounted to harassment, noting a six-minute-37-second voicemail after he believed she had blocked him.
  • An incident in October 2023 at a station involved him rubbing the colleague’s neck for 10 to 20 seconds, which the panel deemed unwanted contact that was not sexual in nature.
  • The report said he told the colleague he had developed feelings and wanted a relationship, the colleague reported distress, and he later apologised and showed remorse.
  • The panel cited his mental health challenges as mitigation, and the outcome remained an internal disciplinary warning rather than dismissal or criminal action.