17th January, 2024
A Met Police officer who attempted to avoid a fine for driving a police car down a prohibited road in Barking has been dismissed.
PC Zain Anwar, previously attached to the local policing team in east London which covers Barking, was found to have altered the car’s logbook after the incident on 2 January 2022.
A release from the Met police said Anwar appeared before a misconduct hearing which concluded on Tuesday, 16 January.
“He was found to have breached the standards of professional behaviour in respect of honesty and integrity to the level of gross misconduct.
“An investigation was carried out after the Met received a penalty charge when an unmarked police car was driven down Longbridge Road, which was a prohibited zone for cars,” the police said.
According to the police, while attempting to identify the officer who was driving the car, it was found the car’s logbook had been amended to make it appear as if another officer had been driving the car at the time.
The police said when questioned about the incident, Anwar failed to make a prompt admission that he was the driver of the unmarked police vehicle at the time.
Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford, from the local policing team in east London, said Anwar’s actions fell well below of the standards “we expect of our officers. He had plenty of opportunities to be honest about the incident, however he instead tried to cover his tracks by accusing another colleague.
“The honesty and integrity of our officers if key to the public being able to trust the police and we will not tolerate dishonest behaviour in the Met.”
The police said Anwar would be added to the Barred List held by the College of Policing.
Those appearing on the list cannot be employed by police, local policing bodies (PCCs), the Independent Office for Police Conduct or His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services.