A former Sussex police officer faced proven allegations of professional misconduct for falsely claiming to be the victim of a serious assault. Ex-PC Tamzin Duncan, 20, underwent an accelerated misconduct hearing led by the Chief Constable at Sussex Police HQ in Lewes on January 9.

This type of hearing is conducted when evidence is undeniable and it’s crucial to swiftly remove an officer from duty, or, for former officers, to place them on a prohibited list. Duncan was accused of falsely reporting to Sussex Police that she was assaulted on July 12, 2023.

Further investigation revealed additional false statements about the incident. Additionally, she was found to have been dishonest in her vetting applications to Sussex Police. These actions violated the standards of honesty and integrity expected of police officers.

Chief Constable Shiner concluded that Duncan would have been dismissed, had she not already resigned before the hearing.

Chief Constable Shiner said: “I expect our officers to act with the utmost integrity, and by the force’s values, the Code of Ethics and the Standards of Professional Behaviour. The conduct of this officer fell far short of those high standards.

“Never has it been more important for the behaviours and actions of every person who serves within policing to be beyond exemplary.

“As a Chief, I will continue to dismiss those whose conduct falls short of the high standards that I, my colleagues, and importantly, our communities rightly expect.”