Taylor Packer, a former officer with the Lincolnshire Police based in Skegness, has been pronounced guilty of gross misconduct for distributing bodycam footage of an arrest wherein he used a taser on a suspect. The misconduct trial, conducted at the police headquarters located in Nettleham, near Lincoln, disclosed that Packer had shared the video with an acquaintance while making vainglorious claims about the event. He was also discovered to have disseminated offensive and racially biased messages, used prejudiced language on Snapchat, and kept confidential police information in his mobile phone.
The trial elaborated on how Packer was able to access and record the footage from the police computer system before disseminating it. He further disclosed classified details related to three other arrests, including names and vehicle information related to these individuals. The panel determined that Packer’s actions constituted gross misconduct – breaching standards of respect, privacy, and equality.
Chief Constable Paul Gibson expressed strong disapproval of Packer’s conduct, describing it as “brazen and premeditated.” He suggested such behaviour considerably undermines public faith in the police force. Even though Packer tendered his resignation in March 2024, the panel asserted he would have been dismissed if he hadn’t resigned. Packer did not appear at the trial and manifested no regret for his actions.
The original report of this incident first appeared on bbc.com and has been reworked by The Lincoln Post for better understanding and appropriateness.
