Met Police PC sacked after being caught drink driving while on duty
PC Bryson Kisten was caught drink driving while on duty (PA Wire) A Metropolitan Police[1] officer has been sacked after he crashed his car while drink driving[2] on duty. PC Bryson Kisten was arrested on September 30 when he was caught at the wheel of a unmarked BMW 2 Series police car while over the legal alcohol limit.
He pleaded guilty to drink driving, and faced a misconduct hearing on Wednesday where a panel decided he should be dismissed. Willesden magistrates court[3] heard in October how PC Kisten was breathalysed and had 43 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit for driving is 35 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.
The officer, 30, from Bishop’s Stortford, pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay a GBP438 fine plus GBP85 costs and a GBP175 victim surcharge. He was also disqualified from driving for a year, with the option of reducing the ban by three months by completing a course before May next year. The officer, who was attached to the Met’s North Area Basic CommandUnit, crashed his police car in Chase Side, Enfield at about 14.30pm.
Later at a Met Police traffic garage, at around 7pm, colleagues believed he had been drinking and PC Kisten was breathalised. A notice announcing the misconduct hearing reads: “On Saturday 30 September 2023, PC Kisten was arrested whilst on duty, for suspicion of driving whilst over the prescribed alcohol limit. He was subsequently charged after providing a lower reading of 43ug of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.
“On Monday 16 October 2023, at Willesden Magistrates Court, PC Kisten pleaded guilty and was subsequently convicted of driving whilst over the prescribed alcohol limit, contrary to Section 5(1)(a) of The Road Traffic Act 1988.” Following a decision to dismiss the officer, Detective Chief Superintendent Caroline Haines said: “It is completely unacceptable that PC Kisten was driving a police vehicle while over the alcohol limit. “As a police officer, he should have known the danger that drink driving poses to other road users.
I am pleased he has been caught and prosecuted due to the diligence of traffic officers who suspected he had been drinking and made him complete a breath test.”
References
- ^ Metropolitan Police (www.standard.co.uk)
- ^ drink driving (www.standard.co.uk)
- ^ magistrates court (www.standard.co.uk)