Allegations of inappropriate contact with a teenager - Hampshire Constabulary, April 2017

On 5 April 2017 we received a referral from Hampshire Constabulary after it had been notified by a member of public that a police officer had sent inappropriate messages to a teenager via a dating app. The messages were allegedly sent during one interaction on 1 January 2017. The police officer had previously had contact with the teenager as part of their work with Hampshire Constabulary. The teenager had been identified as vulnerable.

During the course of the investigation we interviewed the police officer and the informant. We also interviewed the teenager twice. We forensically reviewed the police officer’s personal and work mobile phones.

Based on the evidence available, we found no indication the police officer behaved in a manner that would justify the bringing of disciplinary proceedings or committed a criminal offence.