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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/sep/08/shoreham-air-crash-two-police-constables-offensive-video-message-claim
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| Shoreham air crash: two PCs accused of sending 'offensive' Snapchat video | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Two police officers who guarded the Shoreham air crash site are being investigated after allegedly sending a video of themselves at the scene to a colleague with an “offensive” caption. | Two police officers who guarded the Shoreham air crash site are being investigated after allegedly sending a video of themselves at the scene to a colleague with an “offensive” caption. |
| The constables, based in Brighton, are accused of gross misconduct after allegedly sending footage to a colleague, who immediately reported them to Sussex police’s professional standards department. | The constables, based in Brighton, are accused of gross misconduct after allegedly sending footage to a colleague, who immediately reported them to Sussex police’s professional standards department. |
| A force spokesman said one officer is alleged to have used his personal phone to send a short video of him and another officer using Snapchat. This has auto-deleted and is no longer available. | A force spokesman said one officer is alleged to have used his personal phone to send a short video of him and another officer using Snapchat. This has auto-deleted and is no longer available. |
| The deputy chief constable, Olivia Pinkney, said: “I cannot emphasise how upset I am that we are investigating such an allegation. My colleagues have informed the victims’ families and apologised to them for the unnecessary distress it will undoubtedly cause them. They are disappointed, as we all are.” | The deputy chief constable, Olivia Pinkney, said: “I cannot emphasise how upset I am that we are investigating such an allegation. My colleagues have informed the victims’ families and apologised to them for the unnecessary distress it will undoubtedly cause them. They are disappointed, as we all are.” |
| Related: Shoreham airshow disaster: the 11 victims | Related: Shoreham airshow disaster: the 11 victims |
| Pinkney said she had thought about suspending the officers, who are within their probationary period, but wanted them to “keep their shoulder to the wheel”. | Pinkney said she had thought about suspending the officers, who are within their probationary period, but wanted them to “keep their shoulder to the wheel”. |
| Speaking outside police headquarters in Lewes, East Sussex, Pinkney said: “What has happened is that two young in-service constables were working shortly after the Shoreham air tragedy and were on the cordon, some distance from the scene itself, and they videoed themselves. | Speaking outside police headquarters in Lewes, East Sussex, Pinkney said: “What has happened is that two young in-service constables were working shortly after the Shoreham air tragedy and were on the cordon, some distance from the scene itself, and they videoed themselves. |
| “There was nothing in that video that showed any detail of the scene, but very disappointingly they attached a message to that video which was inappropriate and it was offensive. | “There was nothing in that video that showed any detail of the scene, but very disappointingly they attached a message to that video which was inappropriate and it was offensive. |
| “Those officers have let themselves down, of course, but most importantly they have let down the 11 families of the men who died that day.” | “Those officers have let themselves down, of course, but most importantly they have let down the 11 families of the men who died that day.” |
| Supt Lisa Bell, of Sussex police’s professional standards department, said in a statement: “The investigation is in relation to a private message sent to a colleague, who swiftly reported it to the professional standards department. This allegation is particularly upsetting and could detract from the professionalism of a huge number of colleagues who have worked so tirelessly on this operation.” | Supt Lisa Bell, of Sussex police’s professional standards department, said in a statement: “The investigation is in relation to a private message sent to a colleague, who swiftly reported it to the professional standards department. This allegation is particularly upsetting and could detract from the professionalism of a huge number of colleagues who have worked so tirelessly on this operation.” |
| Eleven men died when a vintage Hawker Hunter vintage plane crashed on the A27 on 22 August. The inquest into their deaths was opened and adjourned at a hearing in Horsham last Wednesday. | Eleven men died when a vintage Hawker Hunter vintage plane crashed on the A27 on 22 August. The inquest into their deaths was opened and adjourned at a hearing in Horsham last Wednesday. |