Police Officer Barred After Smelling of Alcohol On-duty

Published on: 7 Dec, 2022
Updated on: 9 Dec, 2022

By Emily Coady-Stemp

local democracy reporter

A former Surrey Police Constable has been barred from the profession after turning up to work still smelling of alcohol from the night before.

The force’s chief constable found that the former officer had committed gross misconduct and would have been dismissed from the force, had he still be serving.

An accelerated hearing held on November 7 found that former Police Constable Jurgen Lovbakke, who was based in Guildford, turned up for duty smelling of alcohol, which he had drunk the night before.

An outcome notice from Surrey Police said the breath readings were over the “prescribed limit of fitness for duty of 13mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath”.

Chief Constable Gavin Stephens

The force’s Chief Constable Gavin Stephens found that the PC Lovbakke’s actions amounted to gross misconduct.

It was also found he had breached the standards of professional behaviour in relation to fitness for duty and discreditable conduct.

A Surrey Police statement said: “Had the officer still been serving, he would have been dismissed without notice and so he was placed on the College of Policing Barred List to prevent future employment in law enforcement or similar.”