Misconduct hearing outcome for former PC Alan Kirkwood

A misconduct hearing was held between 19 and 20 May for former Police Constable Alan Kirkwood who was based at Lincoln Police Station.

Former PC Kirkwood was found to have breached the following standard of professional behaviour:

• Use of force
• Discreditable conduct
• Authority, Respect and Courtesy

It was found that on 3 January 2023, the officer breached the standards of professional behaviour when they used force which was not reasonable, necessary or proportionate in all the circumstances. The former officer was responding to a report of a street robbery and attempting to detain two males who had made off from him. During the incident the former officer mistook a member of the public for a suspect and after instructing him to lay on the floor in order to be detained, he kicked him causing an injury. The officer used inappropriate and disrespectful language. As a result of the assault, the member of the public sustained an injury.

The Independent Panel found the breaches proven and that the breach relating to use of force amounted to gross misconduct. The breach relating to authority, respect and courtesy in respect of the language used amounted to misconduct.

The panel found that, in all the circumstances, had the officer been a serving officer a final written warning would have been the appropriate sanction.