The Metropolitan Police Service of the United Kingdom has dismissed Shola Balogun, a Nigerian-British officer from Bromley Police Station, for biting a colleague (name withheld) during a birthday party in Bexleyheath, Kent.
This decision was made during a hearing held from October 21-23, 2024, led by a senior officer, Christopher McKay, with panel members IPM Amanda Harvey and Assessor-Detective Superintendent Kirsty Mead.
The hearing notice, reviewed by our correspondent, indicated that Balogun, a Police Constable, attended the 40th birthday celebration of another police officer, along with approximately 70 other guests at Goals Sports Bar. Notably, Balogun and the victim were the only two police officers present aside from the celebrant.
The incident occurred on April 22, 2022, and was described as stemming from light-hearted horseplay between the two officers, who had no significant quarrel in the past.
The document detailed, “On April 22, 2022, around 70 people attended a 40th birthday party for a police officer at Goals Sports Bar in Bexleyheath, Kent. Among the attendees were members of the ERT C team based at Bromley Police Station. PC Shola Balogun and PC (name withheld) were among the officers present. They had worked together at Bromley Police Station since June 2018 and had a friendly relationship characterized by camaraderie and informal, playful interactions.
The victim arrived at the party around 9 PM after meeting fellow officers at a nearby pub. PC Balogun arrived later and admitted to having consumed alcohol beforehand. Discrepancies arose regarding the events of the evening.
According to the victim, around 11:30 PM, he ascended a flight of stairs from the dancefloor and found PC Balogun in front of him. Balogun allegedly grabbed the victim’s glasses and tossed them to the ground, surprising him. When the victim approached Balogun in a friendly manner, Balogun reportedly pushed him in the throat area. After voicing his complaint about this action while standing just a foot apart due to the loud music, the victim claimed Balogun leaned in and bit him on the right side of his face.
Balogun, however, presented a different account, stating that he accidentally knocked the victim’s glasses off and denied pushing or biting him, despite medical reports confirming that the victim had indeed been bitten.
The hearing document stated, “The Regulation 30 Notice alleges that PC Balogun’s behavior brought discredit to the police service and undermined public trust in the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), which is considered a violation of the standard of Discreditable Conduct.
“Discreditable Conduct is defined in the College of Policing Code of Ethics as any behavior, whether on or off duty, that tarnishes the image of the police service or undermines public confidence in policing. Officers are expected to maintain the highest standards of behavior at all times and to consider how their actions might be perceived by the public. The Panel concluded that by biting the victim, PC Balogun breached this standard. Assaulting a fellow officer is clearly unacceptable and reflects discreditable conduct.
The panel noted that they consulted with individuals, including an inspector who had served as Balogun’s line manager for nearly five years, all of whom spoke highly of his character and competency as a police officer, adding, “However, to counterbalance these testimonials of his good character, the Panel considered evidence of his prior disciplinary history.”
The Panel referenced Lord Justice Maurice Kay’s remarks in the case of Salter v Chief Constable of Dorset [2012] EWCA Civ 1047, stating, “As to personal mitigation, just as an unexpectedly errant solicitor can usually refer to an unblemished past and the esteem of colleagues, a police officer may often do the same. However, due to the critical importance of public confidence, the potential for such mitigation is necessarily limited.”
Ultimately, the panel decided on dismissal without notice, citing Balogun’s actions as justification.
“In this case, PC Balogun does not have an unblemished past.”
