A Wiltshire police officer has been dismissed from duty without notice following a three-day misconduct hearing. The hearing, held at Wiltshire Police Headquarters and chaired by an Independent Legally Qualified Chair, concluded that PC Frank Katus’s behaviour amounted to gross misconduct, breaching various Standards of Professional Behavior expected from police officers.

PC Frank Katus, who served as a Roads Policing officer, was found to have sent unwanted, inappropriate, and offensive messages to two police staff colleagues during January and February 2023. The misconduct hearing determined that his actions violated the Standards of Professional Behavior, including authority, respect, courtesy, equality, diversity, and discreditable conduct.

Deputy Chief Constable Craig Dibdin commented on the case, stating, “PC Katus’s actions fell well below the high standards of professionalism that we, and the public, expect from all police officers, staff, and volunteers. When details of his behaviour were reported to us, he was immediately suspended from his role, and an investigation commenced.”

Furthermore, PC Frank Katus will be placed on the national barred list, preventing him from working in policing in the future. Dibdin expressed his gratitude to the complainants who supported the investigation and encouraged all members of the organization to use an anonymous reporting tool if they had concerns about a colleague’s behaviour. This reporting tool aims to promote a positive, supportive, and inclusive culture within the organization for the benefit of colleagues and the communities they serve.

In December, the Wiltshire Police Force introduced the Safe2Say Anonymous Reporting System, a dedicated internal reporting system designed to empower officers, staff, and volunteers to report any wrongdoing, concerns, or intelligence related to the workforce confidentially.