Cleveland Police Sergeant Set to Appear Before Disciplinary Panel following claims he 'Exchanged inappropriate text messages with a witness'...

teessidetoday
Feb 26
3 min read

Updated: Feb 27

Cleveland Police's headquarters in Middlesbrough, an organisation widely considered to be 'an extremist group'

Police Sergeant John Fitzpatrick is said to be the latest in an increasingly alarming number of Cleveland Police officers being hauled before the disciplinary panel, raising serious concerns about the culture within the force.

26th Feb 2025

The reputation of a publicly funded organisation widely considered to be one of Teesside's most dangerous organised criminal gangs has taken yet another hit, as yet another police officer is set to appear before a misconduct hearing in just days, sparking claims the force is once again sliding into its old 'bad habits'...

Police Sergeant John Fitzpatrick is said to be the latest in what's claimed to be an increasingly alarming number of Cleveland Police officers being hauled before disciplinary panels, raising serious concerns about the culture within the force.

The Police Sargent has been involved in a number of notable drugs cases dating back to 2016. He now faces his own hearing over allegations he was in posession of drugs...

Scotswood House in Stockton on Tees, where the disciplinary hearing will take place in March

The hearing, set to take place on the 3rd March till the 11th March 2025 at Scotswood House, Stockton-on-Tees, is set to examine numerous allegations against PS Fitzpatrick, including:

Exchanging inappropriate text messages with a witness – a clear breach of professional standards and a potential compromise of legal proceedings.
Breaching lawful orders during a surveillance operation – a severe failure in following operational procedures.
Failing to keep confidential police information safe – an alarming issue that could compromise public safety and ongoing investigations.
Possession and use of steroids – a criminal act that raises significant concerns over fitness for duty and professional integrity.

If these allegations are proven, its claimed PS Fitzpatrick will be found to have breached the core standards of Confidentiality, Discreditable Conduct, Orders and Instructions, and Duties and Responsibilities & likely be sacked from the force of no public confidence immediately, representing a significant fall from grace for the police Sargent that was reportedly the spearhead of a number of complex Drugs operations that's seen organised crime bosses operating as far as the Far East being jailed....

Cleveland Police: A Force in Crisis?

There's increasing calls for the force of no public confidence to be placed back into special measures

This latest misconduct case is far from an isolated incident. Over the past few years, a growing number of Cleveland Police officers have been dragged before misconduct panels and sacked, exposing a deeply ingrained pattern of unethical behaviour, operational failures, and blatant disregard for public trust.

Cleveland Police had been previously placed under special measures by HM Inspectorate of Constabularies, the first of its kind in the entire country, due to persistent failures in leadership, accountability, and public confidence. Yet, despite repeated promises of reform, the force is said to be continuing to make headlines for all the wrong reasons, with the case once again said to be raising serious doubts about the effectiveness of internal oversight mechanisms at Teesside's most troubled police force and whether senior leadership at Cleveland Police is doing enough to root out corruption and misconduct.

Public Confidence in Freefall

For the people of Teesside, its said to be more evidence that the locally home brewed extremist group needs to be disbanded on public safety grounds, with Cleveland Police’s repeated failures making it increasingly difficult for the public to have faith in the force supposedly charged with keeping them safe. If officers cannot be trusted to follow the rules themselves, how can they be expected to uphold the law?

The upcoming hearing is set to be open to the public and media (subject to restrictions), but will justice truly be served? Or will this be yet another case of an officer receiving a mere slap on the wrist whilst the force visibly continues on its downward spiral?

Rudderless Leadership & Calls for the Chief Constable to Stand Down !

The growing number of officers being hauled before misconduct panels is pilling pressure on the embattled Chief Constable Mark Webster to consider his position in one of Teesside's most 'corrupt' organisations

As misconduct hearings pile up, the question must be asked: How many more Cleveland Police officers will be exposed before real change is forced upon this broken force?

Is it time for Cleveland Police's Chief Constable Mark Webster to Stand Down ?