Cop without maths GCSE sacked

His story didn't add up

A Devon and Cornwall Police officer has been sacked for gross misconduct after it was discovered he didn't have his maths GCSE.

When he applied to join the force, Mr Smith said he had the level 2 qualification at grade C.

But when the a recruitment officer looked into his claim, it didn't add up.

PC Smith sent in part of the table he had received about his qualifications that suggested he had completed a course, but that wasn't sufficient evidence.

Eventually he told the force he believed he had failed his maths but intended to re-take the qualification.

A disciplinary hearing last month led by chief constable Will Kerr, found that PC Kye Smith’s behaviour had fallen below the expected standards of  behaviour for honesty and integrity. 

Now he has been sacked for gross misconduct and he won't be able to work in policing again.

Chief Constable Will Kerr said: “PC Smith had multiple opportunities to correct this matter and chose not to do so. This was not a one-off, nor a minor error of judgement. During that protracted period, he remained a serving police officer drawing a salary from the public purse for a role he knew he was not fully qualified to have.

“The public deserve higher standards than this. PC Smith’s actions have, with repeated failure to admit that he did not hold a Maths GCSE qualification at Grade C, fallen seriously short of the required standards of professional behaviour.

“My determination is that this conduct amounts to gross misconduct and that the behaviour was over such a protracted period of time that this warrants consideration of dismissal.”