Police officer dismissed for misconduct at Asda on day off

PC Brigitta Pal was dismissed from her position at Merseyside Police after a misconduct hearing determined she had committed gross misconduct. The incident occurred on July 29, when a family member of Pal was involved in a minor car accident at an Asda store in Birchwood, Warrington. Following the collision, Pal attempted to obtain CCTV footage from the store without disclosing her relationship to the involved party, which raised concerns about her integrity. The misconduct hearing, held from September 9 to 11, revealed that Pal had not only failed to inform Asda staff of her connection to the incident but also acted dishonestly in her interactions with the complainant. This behavior was deemed a violation of the professional standards expected of police officers, particularly regarding honesty and integrity. Asda refused to release the CCTV footage without a crime reference number, prompting an investigation by the police's professional standards department after a public complaint was lodged. The investigation concluded that Pal's actions were discreditable and demonstrated a lack of integrity, leading to her immediate dismissal. In addition to her termination, Pal faces a five-year prohibition from the College of Policing's barred list. Merseyside Police emphasized their commitment to maintaining high standards among their officers, stating that they take allegations of misconduct seriously and will act decisively to uphold public trust.