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[Fedster + 1,307]

IOPC investigated actions of chief inspector.

A British Transport Police professional standards detective has been dismissed after misusing a rail pass to travel in first class when he was not entitled to do so.

Detective Chief Inspector Iain Miller was dismissed without notice after a four day misconduct hearing held by BTP following an Independent Office for Police Conduct investigation.

Det Chief Insp Miller, who was based in London, was found by the panel to have breached the terms and conditions under which the rail pass was issued, that he sat in a first class seat without purchasing an appropriate ticket and that when confronted about the misuse, failed to properly account for his actions.

The tribunal added that his actions were aggravated by his senior position within BTP professional standards department at the time of the offence.

The BTP referred the incident to the IOPC owing to the nature of the detective’s role.

IOPC Regional Director Jonathan Green said: “DCI Miller was an experienced officer who was responsible for upholding standards of behaviour within BTP.

“It is therefore very disappointing that he chose to misuse the rail pass and then failed to demonstrate the appropriate insight and remorse expected of a senior officer when asked to account for his actions.

“I am pleased BTP agreed with the conclusions of our investigation and the panel has issued a clear message that such behaviour is not acceptable.”

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[MerseyLLB 8,426]

People lose their jobs in 1 day and somebody has a quiet word on another. A very odd job to be in, the police.

I would ask, how is it that sitting in a first class seat takes an IOPC referral and a 4 day hearing when you can have a drugs trial dealt with in 2 days? 

[HazRat 762]

1 hour ago, MerseyLLB said:

People lose their jobs in 1 day and somebody has a quiet word on another. A very odd job to be in, the police.

I would ask, how is it that sitting in a first class seat takes an IOPC referral and a 4 day hearing when you can have a drugs trial dealt with in 2 days? 

I thought the same when I saw the article. Why refer to IOPC when it should be something that the force deal with themselves. Perhaps more to it than has been disclosed?

 

The Simon Byrne GM hearing has gone quiet....

[ParochialYokal 1,119]

I thought the same when I saw the article. Why refer to IOPC when it should be something that the force deal with themselves. Perhaps more to it than has been disclosed?

 

He was a DCI in Professional Standards. I think that the referral was quiet right in the circumstances.

 

It’s not as if he was a wet behind the ears PC straight out of training.

 

God knows what he was thinking.

 

Because of his role, dismissal would have been the only option really.

 

It does mention that he failed to properly account for his actions. A more palatable account may have been that the on-board Train Manager asked him if he wanted to sit in first class and he took up the offer, as he had important work to do and was subsequently confronted by Revenue Protection Officers. But he doesn’t seem to have even offered up an excuse.

 

[Radman + 2,165]

On 09/06/2018 at 22:28, ParochialYokal said:

 

He was a DCI in Professional Standards. I think that the referral was quiet right in the circumstances.

 

It’s not as if he was a wet behind the ears PC straight out of training.

 

God knows what he was thinking.

 

Because of his role, dismissal would have been the only option really.

 

It does mention that he failed to properly account for his actions. A more palatable account may have been that the on-board Train Manager asked him if he wanted to sit in first class and he took up the offer, as he had important work to do and was subsequently confronted by Revenue Protection Officers. But he doesn’t seem to have even offered up an excuse.

 

Train managers will frequently tell officers to sit in first class and I have told them time and time again that by doing so they are putting not only potentially their positions at risk but certainly the cops.

It isn't worth it, if you're entitled to certain travel on a service stand or sit in the vestibule somewhere.

BTP is all kinds of funny over free travel and it can be a mine field - some TOCs have agreements set up with BTP others don't, some TOCs will try to enforce all kinds of strange policies be it on duty travel but only in uniform (I had a disagreement with a train guard whilst conducting plain clothed duties on a service out to catch a persistent luggage thief who insisted I had to be uniform to travel even when on duty with all my kit under my jacket... I had tell him my powers under the Railway and Transport Safety Act 2003.)

PSD wouldn't have spared anyone else, travel within the rules.

[ParochialYokal 1,119]

Train managers will frequently tell officers to sit in first class and I have told them time and time again that by doing so they are putting not only potentially their positions at risk but certainly the cops.

It isn't worth it, if you're entitled to certain travel on a service stand or sit in the vestibule somewhere.

BTP is all kinds of funny over free travel and it can be a mine field - some TOCs have agreements set up with BTP others don't, some TOCs will try to enforce all kinds of strange policies be it on duty travel but only in uniform (I had a disagreement with a train guard whilst conducting plain clothed duties on a service out to catch a persistent luggage thief who insisted I had to be uniform to travel even when on duty with all my kit under my jacket... I had tell him my powers under the Railway and Transport Safety Act 2003.)

PSD wouldn't have spared anyone else, travel within the rules.

 

The RTSA obviously allows BTP (on or off duty) to go anywhere on railway property without reason- as you allude to in your post. It is for that reason that a BTP Officer would not normally be able to be prosecuted for ‘travel fraud’ because they cannot commit fare evasion.

 

I won’t comment on my use of a warrant card when I was BTP, but I acted with the best of intentions and it took place in a different era and one where I was actually a ‘progressive’ and everyone else around me was a ‘dinosaur’. Sadly, I would probably be considered a dinosaur by today’s standards and probably strung up.

 

I never breached policy, as there as no policy that was written down but, in hindsight, there was probably a policy vacuum about what was officially sanctioned within the context of a plethora of a number TOCs operating, whereby custom and practice emerged.

[Radman + 2,165]

1 hour ago, ParochialYokal said:

 

The RTSA obviously allows BTP (on or off duty) to go anywhere on railway property without reason- as you allude to in your post. It is for that reason that a BTP Officer would not normally be able to be prosecuted for ‘travel fraud’ because they cannot commit fare evasion.

 

I won’t comment on my use of a warrant card when I was BTP, but I acted with the best of intentions and it took place in a different era and one where I was actually a ‘progressive’ and everyone else around me was a ‘dinosaur’. Sadly, I would probably be considered a dinosaur by today’s standards and probably strung up.

 

I never breached policy, as there as no policy that was written down but, in hindsight, there was probably a policy vacuum about what was officially sanctioned within the context of a plethora of a number TOCs operating, whereby custom and practice emerged.

It just isn't worth the risk - as you said 8+ years ago it was a different era now no way would I attempt to travel for free with a TOC where no written agreement was in place, PSD will simply come down hard.

It isn't worth the risk.

[ParochialYokal 1,119]

It just isn't worth the risk - as you said 8+ years ago it was a different era now no way would I attempt to travel for free with a TOC where no written agreement was in place, PSD will simply come down hard. It isn't worth the risk.

 

 

Unless, of course, you are a DCI in PSD who thinks that they can travel in first class on their brief.

 

Even in the ‘dark ages’ of well-intentioned custom and practice nobody would have thought that it was acceptable to travel first class on a brief TBH. That is a school boy rookie failing in morals- not something that you would expect of a DCI in PSD to do.

 

It’s so basic and so school boy it makes me wonder why he was so stupid?

 

It’s poop that he lost his career and I take no pleasure in championing that, I just don’t understand why he was so lack lustre.

 

[Fedster + 1,307]

Officer reinstated with final written warning for 'dishonest' behaviour

Dismissal of professional standards DCI dismissed for misusing rail pass reversed.

Backtrack: DCI Iain Miller allowed back into the BTP fold

Date - 4th March 2019
By - Nick Hudson - Police Oracle

 

A British Transport Police professional standards detective dismissed after misusing a rail pass to travel in first class has got his career back on track.

Detective Chief Inspector Iain Miller lost his job for “dishonesty” after a four-day misconduct hearing last June held by BTP following an Independent Office for Police Conduct investigation.

DCI Miller, who was based in London, was found by the panel to have breached the terms and conditions under which the rail pass was issued, that he sat in a first class seat without purchasing an appropriate ticket and that when confronted about the misuse, failed to properly account for his actions.

The tribunal added that his actions – breaching the standards of orders and instructions, duties and responsibilities, authority, respect and courtesy and honesty and integrity – were aggravated by his senior position within BTP professional standards department at the time of the offence.

But the force has announced that DCI Miller has been reinstated after a successful Police Appeal Tribunal.

The appeal process decided to “set aside” the misdemeanour in 2017, replacing a 'gross misconduct' verdict with one of 'misconduct'.

DCI Miller has returned to the force with a final written warning as disciplinary action.

At the time he was dismissed, IOPC regional director Jonathan Green said the officer’s actions had been “very disappointing” in misusing a rail pass before “failing to demonstrate the appropriate insight and remorse expected of a senior officer when asked to account for his actions”.

Deputy Chief Constable Adrian Hanstock added: "As someone who oversaw the standards of professional behaviour of other officers, ex-DCI Miller would have been acutely aware of the importance of honesty and integrity in ensuring public trust in the police. 

“It is regrettable that he not only misused a privilege offered by the railway industry but also chose to mislead the inspectors when challenged. The panel clearly considered this to be an abuse of trust as well as dishonest behaviour."

https://www.policeoracle.com/news/police_staff/2019/Mar/04/Officer-reinstated-with-final-written-warning-for-dishonest-behaviour_100644.html

[Cathedral Bobby + 1,174]

Common sense prevails and I think a final written warning seems about right. 

[Cathedral Bobby + 1,174]

What's sad about it Zulu22, you seem to use the imoji regularly. He needed a reprimand but not necessarily losing his job. It was not the most serious infringement. There are officers who have kept their jobs for far more serious offences. I know of only one person in history without sin. Is it not better that an officer with vast experience is kept working. 

[Zulu 22 + 4,638]

It is sad that he put himself in that position.  I do not think that there is any way that he can work in professional standards again.  I use the emoji when there is not much point in furthering a comment, and that is my choice.

[Cathedral Bobby + 1,174]

1 minute ago, Zulu 22 said:

It is sad that he put himself in that position.  I do not think that there is any way that he can work in professional standards again.  I use the emoji when there is not much point in furthering a comment, and that is my choice.

I agree totally with your comment relating to his role in professional standards. Your comment relating to the use of the 'Sad' emoji is somewhat confusing as I didn't interpret it that way. But each to their own as they say.

[Ether + 1,432]

Find it difficult to accept that this treatment has any parity with how the public would be treated. 

Seems like total overkill if I’m honest.

[Zulu 22 + 4,638]

Whether you like it or not better standards are expected,quite correctly,  from Police Officer's.