PCSO sacked for describing beat as a 's***hole' on Facebook
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 1:37 PM on 20th September 2010
An award-winning police community support officer has been sacked after
ranting about his job on Facebook.
Carl Boulter, 47, described his beat as a 's***hole' and complained
about having to wear a 'stupid' stab-proof vest.
When the comments on the social networking site came to light, the
father-of-two was hauled into a disciplinary hearing and fired from his
job with Warwickshire Police.
The panel ruled he had made 'inappropriate postings' about the force
when he questioned the need to wear body armour while patrolling rural
areas.
The father-of-two had written: 'I wish I could find another job. Get me
out of this s***hole.
'I hate wearing this stupid stab proof vest out in the countryside where
there's no need for it.'
Mr Boulter, who won a Neighbourhood Watch award in 2007, has now lost an
appeal against his dismissal in July.
He said: 'I have worked really well in my area and made great links with
the community.
'But I was depressed when I posted the comments.
'I was having problems in my personal life and my financial situation
and was just beating myself up about it.
'There was never a name mentioned, or anything derogatory towards a
person or the organisation. I think this was an overreaction.'
Mr Boulter, from Tamworth in Staffordshire, had worked for Warwickshire
Police for five years and was a community support officer in Arley, New
Arley and Fillongley.
Before that he worked for the Highways Agency and spent 18 years as a
traffic warden with West Midlands Police.
Freedom of speech: Mr Boulter said he thought his Facebook page was private
'Freedom of speech': Mr Boulter said he thought his Facebook page was
private
He added: 'I feel as though I'm not allowed to have an opinion and
freedom of speech does not exist within the force.
'As far as I was aware, my profile was private and would not have
reached the public.
'In my view I was making these comments like a conversation between a
select group of friends in a pub.
'I think I have had a raw deal and I was treated totally unfairly.
'I've been made a scapegoat and I just feel really aggrieved when I see
other people get away with it.'
Mr Boulter was also criticised by his bosses for joining a Facebook
group which spoke out against Islamic extremists who planned to disrupt
a homecoming parade in Wootton Basset, Wiltshire.
They also accused him of being drunk on duty after he posted a message
on his profile saying he was enjoying a 'glass of scotch' in bed.
A Warwickshire Police spokesman said: 'Our disciplinary policy and
procedure provides a framework for dealing with these matters of
discipline consistently and fairly to set acceptable standards of
conduct by our workforce.
'The procedure is an essential means of ensuring we maintain high
standards of discipline in order to provide a safe and efficient
organisation which assists the delivery of the highest standards of
service to the community.'
Mr Boulter is currently looking for work and has deleted his Facebook
account.
Read more:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1313615/PCSO-Facebook-user-sacked-describing-beat-s--hole.html#ixzz104h69Oh9
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