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19
Mar
Former police officer accused of posting gym workouts on social media when 'not fit to work'
A former North Yorkshire Police officer accused of repeatedly posting videos of herself exercising at the gym on social media when signed-off work will face a misconduct hearing.
A notice of the hearing published by the force yesterday (March 18) details five allegations made against PC 841 Claire Viney.
It alleges she breached a number of professional standards between 2023 and 2024.
The former constable was appointed as the force’s lead Taser trainer in May 2023 – a non-operational role.
By December that year, PC Viney informed her supervisor, Sergeant Harrod, about a medical condition and she started on restricted duties.
However, the notice states PC Viney allegedly carried out a number of operational roles which she was paid overtime for.
According to police, these include:
• On January 5 and 6, 2024, the former officer volunteered for and carried out an operational policing role as part of mutual aid to police a football match between Sunderland AFC and Newcastle FC.
• From January 12 to 14, 2024, the former officer volunteered for and carried out an operational policing role as part of mutual aid to police a demonstration in London for the Metropolitan Police. The former officer was paid overtime for this role.
PC Viney was formally placed on restricted duties by her supervisor on January 16, 2024. On the same day, she provided the force with a fit note recording her medical condition, which said she was “only fit for work with amended duties”.
However, the notice also alleges just a month later PC Viney “volunteered for and carried out an operational policing role”.
She was again paid overtime for this role.
The notice adds:
All the operational policing roles the former officer carried out as stated above required her to be fit to perform operational duties. She would have been fully aware of the need to be fit enough to perform these roles. The former officer personally had provided medical evidence to the force that she was not fit enough to perform operational duties.
It also says:
If the former officer contends that she had reported her medical condition accurately to Sergeant Harrod and/or the content of her fit note was accurate, she was unfit for operational duties and she jeopardised the effectiveness of the policing operations and risked injury to herself and others by carrying out the operational duties.
CrossFit gym
PC Viney is said to have provided the force with a fit note on February 27, 2024. It recorded her medical issue and said she would “benefit from amended duties”.
The following month, PC Viney allegedly told her trainer she could not participate in training exercises due to an injury and later provided the force with another fit note, which said she was “not fit to work… and was awaiting surgery”.
However, the notice alleges PC Viney attended a CrossFit gym on March 19, 20, 21, 23, 25 and 29 that year, and “carried out extensive gym work”.
Police claim the former office also “posted videos of herself carrying out this work on social media”.
The force added:
The former officer’s ability to carry out these exercises at the CrossFit Gym was contrary to the information she had provided to the force about her medical condition. She carried out activities which showed she was not struggling with certain activities.
Taser claim
The notice alleges PC Viney also failed to complete her College of Policing Taser training instructor annual peer assessment as required for the year of 2023/24.
“It was her responsibility to ensure the details she entered on the form were accurate and correct”, it said.
The notice claims: "In January 2024, the former officer signed off her section of the form suggesting that she was competent, when she had not achieved all the competencies. She forward dated the form with the date of March 29, 2024."
The notice states PC Viney’s authority to carry a Taser expired in August 2023. However, police allege she “drew her Taser” on November 18 and December 8, 2023.
“Her use of the Taser was, therefore, unauthorised”, police said.
The force adds:
The former officer was the force’s lead Taser trainer. She either knew or should have known that her authority in respect of her Taser use had expired. She was in a position of leadership and responsibility and should have been fully aware of all the requirements which needed to be complied with for the use of a Taser.
Police allege PC Viney breached standards relating to honesty and integrity; authority, respect and courtesy; duties and responsibilities; fitness for duty and discreditable conduct.
The force also claims PC Viney’s conduct is so serious her dismissal “would have been justified if she was still a serving officer” as it “constitutes gross misconduct”.
The public hearing will be chaired by assistant chief officer Sarah Jackson on March 30.
It will begin at 10am at the force’s Alverton Court headquarters in Northallerton.
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