Senior London cop fired for gross misconduct -- inappropriate behaviour towards female colleagues

After 16 months suspended on full £80,000 salary (and he KEEPS his pension). And his misbehavior is a SECRET



A top police officer who was suspended for nearly a year-and-a-half on his full £80,000 salary has been sacked for repeated inappropriate behaviour towards female colleagues.

Detective Chief Superintendent Darren Williams, 48, was suspended on full pay in January last year until he was dismissed on Wednesday last week.

Despite being paid an estimated £100,000 while being investigated, police have refused to provide details on the nature of his inappropriate behaviour.

A panel of two senior officers and a member of the public found the disgraced Williams guilty of gross misconduct in relation to four allegations of inappropriate behaviour and one of failing to declare receiving a gift.

Public spending watchdogs the Taxpayers' Alliance previously accused the Met of dragging its heels during the investigation.

Today the alliance slammed the force for shelling out a small fortune on the disgraced officer during his long-running suspension.

Jonathan Isaby, the watchdog's chief executive, said: 'Everyone deserves a fair hearing but disciplinary proceedings that drag on this long result in a massive bill for taxpayers. 'Ultimately, residents want bobbies on the beat, not in the garden.

'The wheels of justice must move quicker in these cases so that this money can be spent on front line policing, especially as we try and make necessary savings elsewhere in the force.'

Father-of-two Williams, who served 26 years with the force, became borough commander in February 2012. He pleaded guilty to five counts of misconduct but denied gross misconduct. Police have refused to give details on the nature of the allegations.

But a panel in the two-day hearing decided that his failure to follow orders and instructions combined with the other counts amounted to the more serious charge.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Fiona Taylor, of the Directorate of Professional Standards, said: 'We expect high standards from our officers and we are naturally very disappointed that Darren Williams' behaviour has fallen significantly short of that expected of any officer, let alone one so senior.'

Williams will still receive a full pension from the Met Police. The force confirmed Williams would not have his pension removed while a police source said the Met is unable to strip him of it.

Officers can only have their pensions removed if they are convicted of a criminal offence, the source said.

Original report here

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