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Ikenna Ngere
Guest
The UK’s Metropolitan Police Service has dismissed Nigerian-British officer, Shola Balogun from Bromley Police Station following allegations of assault, including biting a colleague (whose name has been withheld) at a birthday party held in Bexleyheath, Kent.
A hearing conducted from October 21-23, 2024, was chaired by senior officer Christopher McKay, with IPM Amanda Harvey and Assessor-Detective Superintendent Kirsty Mead serving as panel members.
Documents from the hearing reveal that Balogun, a Police Constable, attended a 40th birthday celebration for another officer at Goals Sports Bar, joined by about 70 other guests.
Balogun and the victim were the only two officers present aside from the celebrant.
The incident reportedly took place on April 22, 2022, following previous friendly interactions between Balogun and the victim without any significant disagreements.
According to the report, “On the 22nd of April 2022 about 70 people attended a 40th birthday party for a police officer at Goals Sports Bar in Bexleyheath, Kent. Among those attending were members of her work team, ERT C, who were based at Bromley Police Station. PC Shola Balogun and PC (name withheld) were two of those police officers who were present at the party. The officers knew each other well as work colleagues, having been based at Bromley Police Station together since June 2018.
“There had been light-hearted horseplay between them in the past but no significant falling out. Both describe a good friendly working relationship. The victim said he arrived at the party at about 9 pm after meeting other officers in a nearby pub. PC Balogun arrived after the victim and he admitted that had been drinking alcohol before his arrival. There is a dispute about the incidents that took place between them during that evening.
“The victim says that at around 23.30 he walked up a flight of stairs from the dancefloor and found PC Balogun in front of him. PC Balogun was about an arms-length away when he reached out and grabbed the victim’s spectacles off his face and dropped them on the floor.
“This surprised the victim and he claimed to have then approached PC Balogun in a friendly manner whereupon PC Balogun responded by pushing him with his right hand to the victim’s throat area.
“When the victim then complained about PC Balogun’s actions in a conversation at a time when they were only a foot apart because the music was so loud, PC Balogun is alleged to have leaned forward and bitten the victim on the right side of his face.”
Balogun, however, denied these allegations, stating he only accidentally knocked off the glasses, disputing the claims of a push or bite. However, medical records confirmed evidence of a bite.
The official findings read, “The Regulation 30 Notice alleges that by acting in the way described PC Balogun brought discredit to the police service and undermined public trust in the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS). This is alleged to have been a breach of the standard of Discreditable Conduct.
“Discreditable Conduct is explained in the College of Policing Code of Ethics as not behaving in a manner, whether on or off duty, which brings discredit to the police service or undermines public confidence in policing. This is further explained as being a requirement that police officers must keep in mind at all times that the public expects police officers to maintain the highest standards of behaviour.
“Police officers are instructed to always think about how a member of the public may regard their behaviour, whether on or off duty. The Panel is satisfied that PC Balogun breached this standard by biting the victim. Assaulting a fellow officer is clearly unacceptable and discreditable behaviour.”
Despite testimony from colleagues, including his line manager of nearly five years, who spoke positively about Balogun’s character, the panel considered his prior disciplinary history as a mitigating factor.
In their decision, the panel cited Lord Justice Maurice Kay’s words from Salter v Chief Constable of Dorset, noting that while officers may refer to a positive record for mitigation, public confidence remains paramount.
The panel concluded that Balogun’s actions warranted dismissal without notice due to the serious nature of the offense.
“In the present case, PC Balogun does not have an unblemished past and the previous misconduct proved against him is serious. In the present case, he committed a deliberate assault on a colleague without any explanation or justification. He humiliated PC Final Written Warning is not appropriate in this case. The only appropriate and proportionate outcome in this case is Dismissal Without Notice,” the document added.
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