A former Wiltshire Police officer, Thomas Gibbs, has been barred from working in policing after crashing a colleague’s privately owned car into a metal barrier within a police station car park and then lying about the incident. The misconduct hearing took place on August 4, revealing serious breaches of professional conduct.
Gibbs, who served as a response officer in Swindon, was found guilty of two allegations. First, he crashed the vehicle after being instructed to drive it for a sick colleague but failed to report the damage caused. Second, when questioned about the incident, he denied any involvement. Both allegations were upheld, and his actions were deemed gross misconduct.
This behavior violated key standards of honesty, integrity, and discreditable conduct outlined in the police code of ethics. Although Gibbs resigned in February before the hearing, had he remained on duty, he would have faced summary dismissal. He has now been added to the national barred list, effectively ending any future policing career unless he appeals.
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Deputy Chief Constable Mark Cooper emphasized the importance of accountability and honesty among officers, stating, “We expect the highest standards of honesty and integrity from our officers – former PC Gibbs clearly breached these key principles by not only failing to take account for his actions but also lying about his involvement in the incident. Taking accountability for our actions is one of the cornerstones to maintaining the trust and confidence of the public, and we will continue to hold to account police officers and staff who fail to do so.”