Former Slough police officer barred for gross misconduct over cocaine use

A former Slough police officer should be barred from future service after he quit the force having tested positive for cocaine, a misconduct hearing has found.

Mark Williams, who was based at Slough Police Station, admitted to counter corruption officers that he had taken the Class A drug before his resignation in 2024.

The ex-police constable did not attend a misconduct hearing in late December this year, which found his ‘behaviour was very serious and amounted to gross misconduct’.

His name has been added to the barred list – a register maintained by the College of Policing which prevents former cops from rejoining any force in the country.

Williams’ use of an illegal drug while serving as a police officer was identified after a ‘with cause test’ for drugs was issued to him.

Two counter corruption officers visited Williams at Slough Police Station and took him for the test on March 7, 2024.

During the car journey, Williams reportedly told the two officers that he had taken cocaine after his daughter’s death.

“I’m not going to lie, I had a little bit,” Williams said, according to the misconduct panel report.

Drug testing returned a ‘non-negative’ result for the prohibited substance and later, Williams again admitted cocaine use to the counter corruption officers.

Williams reportedly said: “I have had some, about a week ago, don’t do it all the time, just when I am low, takes it off…. Now I’m f*****… f***** up [and] need help.”

Further testing of a urine sample confirmed the presence of cocaine.

Laboratory analysis of the sample added that the window for detection of cocaine was two to three days after use.

Cocaine is a Class A controlled drug recorded in the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

The misconduct report said: “No time prior to the administration of the ‘with cause test’ had the former officer self-declared to his employer Thames Valley Police, that he had a
substance or drug misuse problem.”

Williams resigned from the force on April 19 and his last working day was on May 15.

He did not submit any representations before his misconduct hearing and did not attend his hearing in late December, where the misconduct panel found he had taken an illegal drug.

The report said: “The officer stated to counter corruption officers that on two previous occasions he had consumed cocaine…

“Accordingly, the panel concluded that his consumption of cocaine which had led to him providing a positive test sample was deliberate, intentional, and planned.

“The panel concluded that as a then serving police officer, it would have been clear, obvious, and foreseeable to the officer that his actions presented a significant risk of harm.

“As a then serving police officer, he held a position of trust, and the public would rightly expect that those who hold the office of constable do not consume controlled drugs.”

The panel decided to add Williams to the barred list and said the ex-officer ‘would have been dismissed if he was still a serving member of Thames Valley Police Service’.