Police officer would have been dismissed for drink-driving if still in role

A police officer who was caught drink-driving would have been dismissed if she was still in her role, a hearing has determined.Lynn woman Tamsin Raines, 51, was a serving Norfolk police officer at the time of the offence on June 20 – although she has since retired.She had been pulled over by uniformed officers during a routine traffic stop in Wereham while off duty in her personal car.

Raines was arrested after failing a roadside breath test and taken to Lynn’s Police Investigation Centre, where tests revealed she had 119mcg of alcohol per 100ml in her blood – above the legal limit of 80mcg.In September, she was disqualified from driving for 14 months, fined £120 and ordered to pay costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £48.And on Wednesday last week (November 6), an accelerated disciplinary hearing into Raines’ actions was held in Wymondham, chaired by Assistant Chief Constale Nicholas Davison. He found that that Raines breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour in relation to discreditable conduct, with her actions therefore amounting to gross misconduct.A statement on Norfolk Police’s website said: “The chair’s decision on outcome was that had the former officer remained a serving officer then she would have been dismissed.” Deputy Chief Constable Simon Megicks previously said: “When people commit a drink-driving offence they are putting other people at risk, as well as themselves.“The public have the right to expect the police service will not tolerate its officers committing criminal acts.“Where such conduct is found we will take action and misconduct proceedings will continue to take place, even though the officer has since retired.”