A Metropolitan Police Officer was dismissed without notice on 11 October 2011 after a finding of gross misconduct was made in relation to his mishandling of 999 calls. The officer’s conduct came to light after a disgruntled caller reported her concerns to a friend who also worked in the 999 call centre in Bow. An audit of three months’ worth of telephone calls handled by the officer (around 3,000 in total) revealed that 5% of the calls had been mishandled, and 19 of those calls so seriously mishandled as to amount to gross misconduct. On some occasions the officer had given incorrect and unsympathetic advice to callers reporting events as serious as rape or intended suicide. His off-hand, rude and inappropriate response to many of the callers was found to have fallen well below the standards expected.
　
This case received wide media attention and the Metropolitan Police and the IPCC (who managed the investigation) have condemned the officer’s behaviour. The panel’s decision reflects the principle that the quality of response given to emergency callers is expected to be of the highest standard. 999 call operators are the first point of contact for many members of the public calling for emergency assistance often at times of extreme distress. For this reason, any failure to deal properly with calls is considered extremely serious, as the outcome of this case demonstrates.
　
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/oct/25/999-calls-met-officer-sacked?INTCMP=SRCH
　
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-15445257
　
Kate Cornell acted as presenting officer for the Metropolitan Police in this case. She regularly appears in police disciplinary matters for police forces all around the country.