A female police officer was fired after she was found four times about the limit of the drinks during the service and in her marked police car.
PC Lauren Payne, 26, was found with an 'almost empty' bottle of gin in her police car when she was arrested, a hearing for the misconduct of the police was told.
PC Payne was in full uniform and smelled of alcohol when her colleagues from Hampshire Constabuly discovered her in her parked car at a gas station.
Chief Constable from Hampshire Constabulary, Scott Chilton, said that the consequences of her actions could have been “catastrophic.”
It was only 'happiness' that no member of the public had caused damage, the hearing of misconduct was told.
PC Payne, an alcoholic, was found guilty of coarse misconduct and rejected after the hearing of the Hampshire Constabulary Wanging Dravation in Eastleigh.
She was placed on the blocked list of the College of Police for five years and was also warned by a judge to be willing to go to prison.
PC Payne worked as a police officer from May 2020 to March 2024, when she became a student police.
She was canceled as independent on November 8, 2024, which means that she could work alone.
Colleagues went to Popham Services, Hampshire, where the officer was in the driver's seat of a police car
PC Claire Chivers, who investigated the incident, told the hearing that on January 17, 2025, 'inaudible communication' was heard from PC Payne's radio.
Colleagues went to Popham Services, Hampshire, where she was in the driver's seat of a police car at 4.30 pm.
Her shift was about to finish at 5 p.m. and she worked since 7 a.m.
PC chivers said that the police initially thought they had a 'medical episode', namely a 'panic attack', but then 'smoke alcohol on PC Payne'.
When she was knitted, she had 137 micrograms of alcohol per 100 milliliter breath – almost four times the drinking drive of 35 micrograms. She was arrested during service.
PC chivers said that PC Payne, who 'suffers from alcoholism', was 'service, wore a completely uniform, drove a marked vehicle while she was heavily intoxicated'.
PC Payne gave an interview with no comments after the incident.
She resigned on 3 February 2025, and the next day she pleaded guilty of reading Magistratenhof, Berkshire, to ride while she was unsuitable by a drink.
PC Payne will be convicted on 1 April and in the meantime it will be on a residential rehabilitation course that she has arranged 'of her own will'.
The officer in fully uniform and smelled of alcohol when her colleagues from Hampshire Constabulary (photo) discovered her in her parked car at a gas station
The judge at Reading Magistrates Court told her that she should be prepared for a prison sentence.
PC -Chivers said: 'This violation was committed during his service and in uniform.
“No damage was caused – this could be considered happiness in view of the level of intoxication while driving.”
She added that an 'almost empty' 700 ml bottle of gin was found in the police car when PC Payne was arrested, so that a 'massive risk was not only created for himself but for the public'.
PC -Chivers noted that support was available for PC Payne, who 'suffers from alcoholism'.
A sergeant in the troops was informed of this by a third party, and therefore PC Payne told her superior.
A referral from the professional health was made, but PC Payne had worked 'on a good standard' before this incident.
She told the hearing in a statement: 'I just wanted me to understand what I was going through and searched [sic] Help earlier. '
PC Payne, who was diagnosed with acute stress disorder, said she was proud to set up her police uniform every day and called the incident a 'crisis situation'.
She said: 'For what it is worth, my task was the only thing I could stay sober for.
“There was a structure of traumatic events the week before.”
PC Payne added that she did not reach during [her] Time of need until it was too late '.
CC Chilton said: “The consequences of the officer's actions could have been catastrophic and the police are here to maintain the law that does not break.”
He noted that PC Payne was offered 'support for her condition', and 'eventually she is responsible for what happened on that day'.
