A LONG-SERVING policeman was sacked after he sold an officer's helmet on an internet auction site, it emerged yesterday.
Mike Burnett, who had been on the beat with British Transport Police (BTP) for almost 30 years, was fired for bringing the force into disrepute.
He was ordered to appear in front of a misconduct panel and was found guilty, although he didn't turn
up.
But the sergeant, based in Aberdeen, last night vowed to fight the decision. He said: "This is all without foundation. The matter is now in the hands of my solicitors."
Burnett's career began in Glasgow in 1980. He worked his way through the ranks, eventually becoming the official spokesman for the transport police in Aberdeen.
Roger Randall, secretary of the British Transport Police Federation, warned all officers not to sell on their uniforms. He said: "The uniform belongs to the force so it's theft. There is also the danger of it falling into the wrong hands and being used by criminals. We don't want people posing as police officers."
ACPOS, the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, said no officers should be selling police uniform. A spokesman said: "We recognise there is a legitimate collectors' market for police memorabilia. However, the sale of any equipment or uniform issued to a police officer is not condoned."
The full article contains 226 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
