A police officer once hailed a hero was sacked on the spot for sharing racist posts on Facebook including one describing gypsies as “f****** scumbags.”
PC Jeanette Cadden received a commendation in 2015 for her actions in saving a suicidal woman who was about to jump from the Avon Gorge, but at a tribunal it was decided she could not remain a police officer.
One post she shared read “Ex-serviceman living in a car. Share if you think he should be housed before any refugees.”
Another said: “Social houses in Britain should be for British born only, share if you agree.”
PC Cadden shared CCTV footage purporting to show two women stealing a charity box, which said “The two Romanian gypsies pelted with eggs yesterday are at it again, this time stealing a charity box.”
Beneath it, she wrote: “F****** scumbags – Bring on Brexit.”
PC Cadden was found guilty of gross misconduct, after a member of the public alerted her bosses to her posts on the private social media account.
Another post she shared read: “Migrants will be charged by A&E: Foreigners to be filled for emergency treatment.”
Despite having a 13-year career with Avon and Somerset Constabulary, the hearing found that PC Cadden had not acted impartially and had shown negative and discriminatory views about certain demographic groups.
It decided she had made serious errors of judgement and had failed to take appropriate care by expressing personal views.
A misconduct panel, led by independent chair Stephanie Beazley, wrote a report which said: “Her sharing was ill-judged, as were her comments.
“We have given very careful consideration as to whether public confidence in the police service can be restored and maintained if PC Cadden remains a police officer, and our view is that it cannot.
“The damage to the public’s perception of her specifically, and the police service in general has already been done.
PC Cadden was dismissed without notice at the Avon and Somerset Constabulary headquarters in Portishead, North Somerset, in December.
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