A detective sergeant has been fired from the Metropolitan Police after he was accused of sexually harassing and touching a junior staff member during a night shift.
Marvin Turner was dismissed without notice and his actions branded “thoroughly reprehensible” following a professional standards investigation, Scotland Yard said on Thursday.
A female officer accused Mr Turner of making sexualised comments and touching her in a sexual manner without her consent while on night duty in June 2021.
The detective sergeant was found to have breached the Met’s standards of professional behaviour with regard to discreditable conduct and authority, and respect and courtesy.
“It is clear that DS Marvin Turner has no place in policing,” said Superintendent Martin Rolston, from the East Area Command Unit in which Mr Turner worked, which includes Barking and Dagenham, Redbridge and Havering.
“His actions are thoroughly reprehensible. He took advantage of his position as a supervising officer to put a junior colleague in a very unpleasant situation
“His behaviour was repugnant and falls well below the standard we – and the public – expect. It is right that he has been dismissed from the Metropolitan Police Service.”
Mr Turner was placed on restricted duties on 2 July 2021 after the allegation was reported, and provided an account under caution 20 days later.
The allegation was investigated by officers from the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards, which consequently submitted a report to senior officers, who found he had a case to answer for gross misconduct.
The matter was also investigated criminally, but it was determined that the case did not meet the threshold for a referral to the Crown Prosecution Service.
After hearing all of the evidence, the panel – which is led by an independent legally qualified chair – determined that Mr Turner should be dismissed without notice.
He will now be added to the Barred List held by the College of Policing, which means he will be unable to gain employment from police, local policing bodies, the Independent Office for Police Conduct or Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services.
The announcement of his sacking comes a day after Downing Street urged police chiefs to take action to change culture and standards in the service, after a damning report found serious failures in vetting officers and staff.
