An Essex police officer has been sacked from the force after he was found guilty of ‘tragedy chanting’ at a Liverpool vs Chelsea football game.
Sergeant Tyler Coppin had previously been banned from attending football matches after admitting to the public order offence while at a Premier League match on October 20.
Stewards identified the officer participating in offensive chants and ejecting him from the stadium, where he was then arrested by Merseyside police.
He was later handed a three-year football banning order after admitting to causing harassment, alarm or distress at Sefton Magistrates Court in December, along with a £645 fine.
‘Tragedy chanting’ refers to sports fans chanting, singing or spreading offensive messages about historical disasters or tragedies associated with a football club.
Following the court hearing, Mr Coppin was formally dismissed from the force after a misconduct panel chaired by Essex Police Constable Ben-Julian Harrington found the former sergeant had breached standards of professional behaviour concerning honesty and integrity, authority, respect and courtesy and discreditable conduct.
He was dismissed without further notice and will now be placed on a blacklist barring him from working in policing ever again.
During the hearing, Mr Harrington acknowledged the officer’s remorse and a previously unblemished career in policing, but said he had no choice but to dismiss him as his actions undermined public trust.
‘It is clear that ex-Sgt Coppin was remorseful and may not have been aware of the impact of his words, but he has been criminally convicted of a public order offence,” the chief constable said.
‘His actions will seriously undermine public trust and confidence and I must send a clear message to officers, staff and the wider public that behaviour such as this cannot and will not be tolerated in policing.’
‘If officers are responsible for upholding the law, it cannot be right that they break it.’
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