Met Police Sergeant Dismissed for Gross Misconduct After Inappropriate Touching Incident
A Metropolitan Police detective sergeant has been dismissed from the force after a disciplinary panel found he committed gross misconduct by inappropriately touching a female colleague.
Detective Sergeant Christopher Arnold, attached to Met Operations, faced a three-day misconduct hearing which concluded on Wednesday, July 23. The panel examined an allegation dating back to July 22, 2021, in which DS Arnold was accused of intentionally touching a female officer on her buttock.
Following the hearing, the panel determined that DS Arnold’s actions breached the standards of professional behaviour, specifically in relation to discreditable conduct, and that the breaches amounted to gross misconduct.
Commander Lou Pudefoot, who oversees Met Operations, said:
“The actions of DS Arnold were completely inappropriate and his behaviour fell well below the standards expected of a Metropolitan Police officer. He has rightly been dismissed.”
As a result of the findings, DS Arnold has been dismissed without notice and will be placed on the Barred List, maintained by the College of Policing. Officers on the Barred List are prohibited from working in policing or associated oversight bodies, including the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS).
The outcome is part of the Metropolitan Police’s ongoing commitment to maintaining public trust and upholding the highest standards of conduct among its officers.
