Brickbat: Foraging Foul Play

A police officer in Leicestershire, England, was found to have committed gross misconduct for how he handled a case involving a woman accused of illegally foraging mushrooms in a protected park. Instead of speaking to her directly, as he was required to do, Police Constable Christopher Vickers gave paperwork to her partner, then falsely claimed she had signed a form admitting guilt. That form would have come up every time she underwent a background check. A misconduct panel ruled Vickers’ actions were dishonest and improper, and he is now barred from serving as a police officer.