A police officer has been given a written warning after inappropriately touching the bottom of a colleague while under the influence of alcohol.
DC Natalie Baker attended a misconduct hearing at Force HQ on Monday 23 February, where she was cleared of gross misconduct but found to have committed several acts of misconduct.
The hearing, which was open to the public, heard that DC Baker had been drinking with colleagues on a Christmas night out before the incident occurred on 1 December 2024.
DC Baker, who was heavily intoxicated, had been helped outside by two colleagues after becoming upset in a city centre bar.
After helping her to order an Uber, a female colleague attempted to comfort DC Baker by hugging her and reassuring her about her earlier behaviour.
It was during a second embrace that DC Baker was later alleged to have touched her colleague inappropriately over her clothing.
The woman, described in the hearing as Person A, said she did not consent to being touched in a way she believed was sexual in nature.
Nottinghamshire Police’s Professional Standards Directorate carried out a thorough investigation into the incident and later issued gross misconduct papers.
DC Baker was accused of multiple breaches of the force’s standards of professional behaviour, covering authority, respect and courtesy, and discreditable conduct.
DC Baker admitted she couldn’t remember the incident in full but strongly denied the main allegation against her – saying she would never have acted in such a way.
Any inappropriate contact, she said, was the result of her stumbling towards Person A while intoxicated.
Her legal advocate, Campaspe Lloyd Jacob, also argued that CCTV footage of the incident was unclear and contradicted the evidence of a key witness.
The panel, chaired by DCC Rob Griffin, cleared DC Baker of gross misconduct but determined that her behaviour had amounted to misconduct.
The panel determined that DC Baker had indeed touched Person A in a way that was unwanted and inappropriate, but that intent or motive could not be proven by the available evidence.
DCC Griffin stressed that both DC Baker and Person A were found to have given truthful evidence and that their differing accounts were in no way mutually exclusive.
DC Baker was issued with a written warning.
DCC Griffin said:
“When allegations of this nature are raised it is vital that they are thoroughly investigated, which is exactly what has happened here.
“We expect our officers to maintain the highest standards both on and off duty and I hope the public are reassured by the very thorough and open way this incident has been investigated.
“I am thankful to all parties involved for the evidence given and would like to stress that these findings in no way undermine the integrity of an officer found to be a credible, consistent and believable witness throughout these proceedings.”
