Misconduct hearing will be held for former Police Constable (PC) 0630 Mike Gardiner

Dorset Police has announced a misconduct hearing for former Police Constable (PC) 0630 Mike Gardiner. The hearing will take place at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 25 November 2025, at the Force’s headquarters in Winfrith.

The Allegations:

The investigation concerns Gardiner’s conduct in his role as a police officer. Specifically:

Allegation 1: On 9 August 2023, at an address in Poole relating to a breach of a Non-Molestation Order, Gardiner attended, completed a Public Protection Notice (PPN) with a victim/complainant. A review of Body Worn Video (BWV) footage of the form’s completion shows “significant discrepancies” between the answers given by the victim and those recorded by Gardiner on the PPN.
Allegation 2: On 20 August 2023, at a different address in Bournemouth, when responding to a “domestic abuse in progress” call, Gardiner completed a PPN with the victims/complainants. Again, a review of BWV covering the form completion shows “significant discrepancies” between what the victims said and what Gardiner recorded.
Allegation 3: Also on 20 August 2023, at a third address in Poole, Gardiner completed a PPN with a victim/complainant. A review of BWV again shows significant discrepancies between the victim’s response and what was recorded. Dorset Police

The alleged breaches of professional standards are of the following standards:

Honesty and Integrity
Duties and Responsibilities

Process & Public Notice

The misconduct investigation began once the allegations were made, and Gardiner was suspended from duty while the investigation was ongoing.
As noted above, Gardiner subsequently resigned from the force at the end of 2023.
The hearing will be an accelerated misconduct hearing, since the individual is a former officer, and will be conducted by the Chief Constable (at the time, Amanda Pearson) of Dorset Police.
Members of the public or the accredited press wishing to attend the hearing must register interest with the Professional Standards Department by 4 p.m. on Friday, 21 November 2025.

Significance & Implications

This case raises several important issues for policing standards and public confidence:

Accuracy of Victim Interactions
The allegations concern discrepancies between what the victims reported and what the officer recorded. This touches on the critical responsibility of front‐line officers to record accurately and honestly, especially in sensitive areas such as domestic abuse and breaches of protective orders. If records diverge significantly from a complainant’s account, this can undermine investigations, victim trust, and accountability.
Professional Integrity
The alleged breaches include “Honesty & Integrity” – one of the core standards by which officers are expected to conduct themselves. The sense of duty, transparency and truthfulness in reporting is central to maintaining the legitimacy of policing. An officer recording incorrect information if found to have done so knowingly or negligently can erode public trust.
Resignation and Accelerated Hearings
The fact that Gardiner resigned before the hearing raises practical and symbolic issues. When officers resign while under investigation, forces increasingly use accelerated hearings to ensure the process is not indefinitely delayed and accountability is preserved. This is consistent with wider guidance from the Home Office and the policing regulatory framework.
Transparency and Public Attendance
Making the hearing open (with registration) acknowledges the public interest in policing conduct. The Standards of Professional Behaviour and the disciplinary regime of police forces emphasise the importance of openness where possible, to maintain confidence in the system.

What Happens Next

On 25 November 2025, the hearing will take place. Depending on the findings, the panel may decide that the allegations are proven or not proven.
If proven, various sanctions are possible, including dismissal (even though this officer has already resigned), reduction of rank (in the case of serving officers), referrals to the barred list (so the former officer cannot serve in the future), written warnings, or other corrective measures.
The outcome should be publicly published by Dorset Police as part of their publication regime for misconduct findings, unless there are legal or confidentiality reasons to restrict publication. Parliament Q&A
The public and press may attend if registered by the stated deadline; their presence allows greater transparency in the process.

The case of former PC Mike Gardiner highlights the high standards expected of police officers, especially when supporting vulnerable victims and managing official records. Allegations indicate several instances where recorded statements may not accurately reflect the victims’ accounts, as noted in the Body-Worn Video review. The upcoming hearing offers an independent forum to determine whether the principles of honesty, integrity, and professional duty were breached.

For the public in Dorset, the outcome is crucial: it shows that misconduct is taken seriously, investigations are thorough, and officers are held accountable—even if they resign before the proceedings conclude.