Downfall of top Greater Manchester Police detective following 'catastrophic lack of judgement'

Detective Chief Inspector James Faulkner resigned from Greater Manchester Police just before a misconduct hearing over his use of anabolic steroids. Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson ruled that there was proven gross misconduct, stating Faulkner demonstrated a severe lack of judgement and likely interacted with criminals to obtain the steroids. Although he had a previously clean record and accepted his misconduct, Faulkner didn’t attend the hearing, opting to submit a statement instead. His name will go on the College of Policing’s ‘Barred List’, stopping him from working in policing again. The Chief Constable noted that having such a high-ranking officer engaged in these activities erodes public trust, emphasising the serious nature of the breach of conduct. Faulkner did express regret but was warned that his actions were deliberate and in violation of GMP policies. Sir Stephen Watson made it clear that if Faulkner hadn’t resigned, he would have been dismissed immediately, serving as a stark reminder for those in trusted positions.

Read the full article at Manchester Evening News