Hertfordshire Police inspector demoted for selling his work trousers for £4 on Vinted

A police inspector who sold his uniform trousers for £4 online has been found guilty of gross misconduct and been demoted.

Former inspector Owen Hurley of Hertfordshire Police admitted he sold the trousers on second-hand clothes-selling app Vinted in the summer of 2023.

He said the trousers had been in his wardrobe at home for “a long time” and he wanted to “make space” after redecorating.

A member of the public spotted the item for sale and reported it to the force.

Hertfordshire Chief Constable Charlie Hall ruled the former inspector would be reduced to the rank of sergeant immediately.

At a misconduct hearing on Tuesday, Mr Hurley described the sale as "a mistake", adding: “I should have thought through the process but I just did it instinctively at the time," he said.

He said the sale "wasn’t about money” and said: “It was only when PSD (professional standards department) made me aware that I actually thought about how gross a mistake it was.”

The officer confirmed the trousers did not bear a police logo or insignia, but admitted to writing a listing on Vinted which revealed they were police issue.

Facing questions, Sgt Hurley said members of the public and his colleagues would likely view the incident as a “stupid mistake, doing something without thinking”.

But Chief Constable Hall ruled the officer had breached the professional standards of integrity, discreditable conduct, and duties and responsibilities.

“A member of the public was sufficiently angry to report this,” he said. “You have described it as a mistake. I would describe it as stupid.”

He told Sgt Hurley the trousers “were not yours to sell” and were originally purchased using public funds.

He said: “This is clearly an act the public disapproves of. The public rightly expects higher standards from the constabulary.”

Chief Constable Hall said taking no action may result in “a slippery slope – one that I cannot allow to get a foothold”.

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