Former DS Gary Waite outcome summary

Misconduct hearing outcome 

Officer concerned: Former DS Gary Waite

Dates of hearing: 15 to 16 June 2026

Summary

The Panel determined that the Officer's conduct meets the threshold for Gross Misconduct for the following reasons. The conduct was intentional and deliberate. The Officer was holding a position of trust and responsibility at higher level given his rank and had a supervisory role. It is clear from the evidence that the nature of the relationship between the Officer and his supervisee was inappropriate. It was the Officer's duty to supervise however given the inappropriate messages about Viagra and the whole tenor of messages showed an inappropriate and over familiar relationship which the public would not expect a supervisor in the police to have with a junior member of staff.

The Officer's conduct represented a conscious departure from the professional standards expected of a police officer. It involved operational dishonesty in that the Officer used CARMS inappropriately.

The panel considered the level of culpability to be high. The conduct carried a clear potential to undermine public confidence in the police service, as police officers are expected to be honest. Further, receiving pay for shifts that were not worked would have caused a financial loss to the police force at a time when budgets are already tight.

Taken together, these factors demonstrate conduct of such seriousness that dismissal would be justified. Accordingly, the Panel is satisfied that the conduct found proven amounts to Gross Misconduct.

Decision

Based on the panel's assessment of seriousness, and taking into account the threefold purpose of sanctions, the only appropriate and proportionate sanction is dismissal without notice had the Officer still been serving and placement on the College of Policing's barred list.