July 7, 2026 at 1:56 PM
Ministry of Defence Police: misconduct hearings
Find out about misconduct hearings involving Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) officers and how to attend these public hearings.
Misconduct hearings To increase openness and transparency in the MDP (and the police service in general), misconduct hearings, special case hearings and police appeals tribunals, involving Police Officers, are held in public. Misconduct hearings deal with allegations of gross misconduct committed by MDP officers on or off duty. Gross misconduct is defined as ‘a breach of the police standards of professional behaviour (PSPB)’ that is so serious as to justify dismissal’.
Misconduct hearings form part of the disciplinary process and are not criminal proceedings. Accelerated Misconduct Hearings Accelerated Misconduct Hearings take place when the investigation of allegations of Gross Misconduct, committed by MDP officers on or off duty, identifies that special conditions, such as the following are satisfied: that there is sufficient evidence, in the form of written statements or other documents, to establish on the balance of probabilities that the conduct of the officer concerned constitutes Gross Misconduct it is in the public interest for the officer concerned to cease to be a member of the MDP without delay Police Appeals Tribunals Police Appeals Tribunals deal with appeals submitted by MDP officers, against the findings and/or the outcomes of misconduct hearings (including accelerated misconduct hearings), under the MDP Conduct Regulations, or stage 3 meetings under the Performance Regulations. The decision to hold misconduct hearings and police appeals tribunals in public was announced by the Home Secretary in 2015.