An officer from Humberside Police was reported to have been sacked after posting explicit selfies of herself in a police uniform to her boyfriend, according to the authorities.
A 31-year-old policewoman called PC Alisha Staves, employed in the firearms licensing department and stationed in Hull, was sacked instantly after the misconduct trial hearing. Staves was recruited in 2019.
She took two pictures in 2023. In the first picture, taken inside the station’s storeroom, Staves photographed herself topless, wearing a police fleece jacket. She sent the image to her boyfriend with the caption: “Maybe Mrs Officer can give you a helping hand.” The second picture was taken at her house. It featured Staves semi-naked with a police stab vest. Her message read: “Work boobies.”
The photos were found after two years when they were downloaded from a device during an unrelated investigation. Staves were then on some form of written warning when they were discovered.
Andrew Pickin, a lawyer representing Humberside Police, said this act transcends poor judgment and constitutes a serious abuse of her power.
“There is little difficulty in concluding that this sort of deliberate and completely inappropriate behaviour is so serious as to justify dismissal,” Pickin added.
According to Staves’ lawyer, Matthew Baron, his client was pressured by her partner, who doubted her legitimacy as a policewoman, to take the photos.
“It was a mistake,” Baron said, adding, “Staves accepts it was a poor decision, particularly the second one being taken on police premises.”
It should be noted that Baron stated that Staves thought the images would always remain within the bounds of privacy.
Chief Constable Chris Todd said Staves had committed a clear breach of professional standards and ordered her dismissal with immediate effect.
