Police Officer Handed Final Written Warning for Harassing Female Colleague
A West Midlands Police officer who developed feelings for a female colleague and engaged in a campaign of harassment has been handed a final written warning following a misconduct hearing. PC Browning, who joined the force in January 2021, was found to have breached professional standards, with his actions amounting to gross misconduct.
Unwanted Advances and Persistent Contact
The panel heard that PC Browning told his colleague, referred to as PC A, that he wanted to be in a relationship with her after they formed a close bond while working together on the same response team. Despite suspecting she had blocked him on WhatsApp and Instagram, he continued to message her and left a voice message lasting nearly seven minutes.
The report stated: "In all the circumstances, the panel concluded that PC Browning, by continuing to message PC A, engaged in a course of conduct that was unwanted and created an intimidating environment for PC A." PC A suffered psychological distress as a result of his behavior.
Physical Contact Allegations
In October 2023, Browning approached PC A while she was busy in a report writing room and placed his hands on her upper back and neck area, saying "let me relieve your stress for you." A colleague nearby shouted at him to stop, and PC A later described the incident as not being a friendly massage between friends.
The panel found that Browning did touch her shoulder for 10-20 seconds and rubbed her neck with his thumbs, determining the contact was unwanted but not sexual in nature. They did not find evidence that he violated her dignity or created a hostile environment in this specific incident.
Further Inappropriate Comments
In December 2023, Browning was alleged to have made comments about PC A's physical appearance, including saying she had a "nice a***" and was "really fit." However, the panel found insufficient evidence to prove these specific remarks were made, though they acknowledged Browning had expressed romantic feelings.
The officer denied that his conduct amounted to misconduct or harassment, though he accepted persistent communication occurred. He claimed he stopped when asked and denied making inappropriate physical comments.
Aggravating and Mitigating Factors
The panel noted aggravating factors including that Browning's conduct was "deliberate, intentional and targeted" for personal advantage, and continued after he should have known it was improper. However, they considered mitigating circumstances such as his mental health being adversely affected by personal challenges at the time, his sick leave in summer 2023, and his genuine remorse and apology.
Browning received a final written warning valid for four years. The case highlights ongoing concerns about workplace behavior and professional standards within police forces.
