A POLICE officer who failed to adequately investigate allegations of racial abuse has been dismissed.

Pc Alan Conran, who is based at Chelmsford police station was dismissed for gross misconduct with immediate effect by an independently chaired misconduct panel.

The panel, chaired by legally qualified chair John Bassett, found PC Conran’s behaviour breached the force’s standards of professional behaviour of honesty and integrity; equality and diversity; duties and responsibilities; and discreditable conduct.

On December 14, 2014 two women reported being racially abused by a group of men in Bond Street, Chelmsford before one was punched and knocked unconscious.

The panel found that Pc Conran failed to adequately investigate the allegations and deliberately misled colleagues during the investigation.

Panel members were told the man arrested had identified other people within the group of men present at the scene of the assault.

However, the panel found Pc Conran failed to investigate, wrongly telling the victim it would be difficult to identify them.

After the hearing, which took place at Harlow Social Security and Child Support Tribunal Court, Essex Police Chief Superintendent Luke Collison said: "Public trust in policing depends on the honesty and integrity of police officers being beyond reproach.

“Officers make mistakes and we must always ensure that they and the force learn from them. However, PC Conran’s conduct fell well below the standard the public expects and amounts to gross misconduct.

"In such cases dismissal is a regrettably a necessary sanction.”

"It was clear from the hearing that there were serious failings in how a racially motivated assault was investigated.

"Other police officers were deliberately misled during the investigation, meaning that through no fault of their own they were not able to offer the victims the best possible care.

"While Essex Police did bring an offender to justice for the assault, PC Conran’s actions meant the true impact of the racial abuse which may have aggravated the assault was not brought before the court I would like to apologise on behalf of the force to the victims in this incident and to the wider community.

"Cases such as this are very rare and should in no way reflect on the dedication, bravery and compassion shown by officers across the county every day but victims need to have confidence that they will always be treated with the utmost professionalism, compassion and care.

"Similarly, it’s vital our officers have full confidence in the integrity of their colleagues.”