Former firearms officer dismissed after showing up to work over alcohol limit following night out in Peterborough

Cambridgeshire Police said PC Daniel Colbert, who was based with the Armed Response Unit, was found to have breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour in respect of Fitness for Duty and Discreditable Conduct.

At the hearing, which was held at Lysander House in Bedfordshire on 14 April, members heard that the former officer had been out drinking in Peterborough the night before he drove to work on July 20 where he was found to be over the limit.

Among the venues he visited in the city on the night in question were Charters Bar, Turtle Bay and Brewery Tap.

The hearing stated that, on 20 July 2024, between 6am and 7am “the Former Officer acted in a manner likely to bring discredit on the police service in that he drove to work whilst over the legal limit for driving.”

It added: “He additionally attempted to draw his firearm whilst unfit for duty.”

PC Colbert said he purchased his last alcoholic drink at 11.38pm and stated that “at no point whilst commuting to work or reporting for duty” did he believe that he was over the limit for alcohol and that he “would have reported as unfit to work if he had felt that he was unfit”.

The hearing concluded that Colbert would have been dismissed if he was still a serving officer. He is also to be placed on the College of Policing’s barred list.

Chief Constable Simon Megicks said: “It is concerning that an officer chose to drive to work over the legal limit and then present himself for duty.

“This behaviour fell below the standards expected and had the potential to place others at risk. Such actions risk undermining public confidence in the police service.”

The Former Officer resigned from the Constabulary with his last working day being 28 April 2025.

Full details of the hearing can be found here.