Peterborough detective demoted after making unwanted sexual comments to female officers

A Peterborough detective has been demoted after making unwanted sexual comments in the workplace.

A finding of gross misconduct was made against Temporary Detective Sergeant Adam Blake following his actions, which took place between June and October 2021.

Now a police disciplinary hearing has said TDS Blake should have a reduction in rank.

The panel heard there were a number of allegations relating to TDS Blake’s behaviour towards two female officers, including a number of comments made to both.

The panel said: “As a temporary Detective Sergeant, Mr Blake was an officer who held a position of trust and responsibility which, as the Panel has found, he fell short of.”

A number of aggravating factors were listed in the case summary, including the fact that there was ‘repeated behaviour,’ an abuse of trust, and the fact there was more than one victim.

There was also reference to other cases involving police officers across the country. The panel said: “The Panel has paid particularly close attention to the fact that there currently is deep public concern about police officer conduct, particularly around the treatment of women and However the Panel also considered it relevant to making a fair and balanced assessment of this factor that, whilst offensive and wholly unjustifiable, T/DS Blake’s behaviour was not sexually predatory and did not involve physical violence, rather it was characterised by immaturity and lack of judgment.”

However, TDS Blake’s ‘genuine remorse’ and ‘acceptance of responsibility for his actions’ was also highlighted, as was his ‘mental health and the prevailing stresses’ he was under at the time.

The panel said: “Whilst his conduct was deliberate the Panel did not consider that T/DS Blake intended to cause harm or offence, even though he in fact did so and a reasonable person might have been expected to realise that his conduct would do so.”

In conclusion, the panel said: “Taking all of the factors that the Panel has addressed into consideration, it has concluded that, in this case, the outcome that most appropriately fulfils the purposes of the police misconduct regime is reduction in rank.”