A Metropolitan Police officer has been dismissed from the force without notice after being found guilty of gross misconduct for breaching a court-imposed restraining order protecting a woman known to him.
PC Dawid Lewicki, who was attached to the Met’s South West command unit, appeared before an accelerated misconduct hearing on Friday, August 28, where an allegation of gross misconduct against him was found proven.
The disciplinary case followed an order issued by Westminster Magistrates’ Court on June 12 for the protection of a woman known to Lewicki.
The restraining order prohibited the officer from making direct or indirect contact with the woman and from going to her home or workplace. The order is due to remain in force until June 11, 2028.
The misconduct hearing concluded that Lewicki had breached the standards of professional behaviour relating to discreditable conduct.
Following the finding, the officer was dismissed from the Metropolitan Police without notice, ending his service with the force.
Chief Superintendent Dan Knowles, who is responsible for policing in south-west London, said police officers were expected to maintain high standards of conduct both while on duty and in their private lives.
‘A basic expectation of police officers is that they uphold the law and maintain the highest standards of behaviour, both on and off duty,’ Knowles said.
He said public confidence in policing depended heavily on officers demonstrating integrity and complying with the law.
‘The public rightly expect officers to act with integrity and off-duty conduct that requires a court-imposed order seriously undermines trust in policing,’ he said.
Knowles described Lewicki’s conduct as gross misconduct and said dismissal without notice was the appropriate disciplinary outcome.
‘PC Lewicki’s actions amounted to gross misconduct and his dismissal without notice was the appropriate outcome,’ he said.
The consequences for Lewicki extend beyond his dismissal from the Metropolitan Police.
He will now be placed on the College of Policing Barred List, which prevents him from rejoining the police service or taking up certain other policing-related roles in the future.