A City of London Police Constable has been dismissed following a string of sexualised comments and behaviour towards female students he was training. PC Mathieu Merenda was found to have engaged in behaviour including sharing details of him cheating on his wife, standing close behind a young officer and touching her hip, and inappropriate communications with a trainee such as asking if she wanted to go for a drink.
Panel Chair Commander Umer Khan wrote in the misconduct hearing report that PC Merenda was responsible for his students' learning and wellbeing and that his actions had 'caused significant distress'. PC Merenda joined the force in 2014 having previously been a police community support officer.
In January 2022 he was convicted of driving a motor vehicle on a road without due care and attention after being involved in an incident in June two years' prior. He subsequently accepted a role as a tutor for the learning and development department at the City of London Police, primarily involving teaching traffic law.
Later in 2022 a constable reported PC Merenda for unwanted sexualised comments, and another alleged they had been the victim of sexual assault and touching.
Further complaints were made, which were largely denied by PC Merenda. While accepting some of the comments, he claimed they had been taken out of context, and denied breaching police standards.
Other allegations listed in the hearing report include that PC Merenda made a joke to one student about getting 'sticky fingers' after she requested help ordering uniform trousers, and an instance where it is claimed he asked a separate trainee 'what else do you struggle to put in?' while she was installing a lead into a laptop.
While there were some inconsistencies in the evidence regarding the latter claim, the panel found it was clear that 'what was said was sexualised and that it is reasonable to assume from the laughter that others in the class also had this interpretation'. The panel also found it 'more likely than not' that PC Merenda touched a student on the back and hip and pushed her downwards while he stood behind her, as if bending her over a table.
An account of this incident alleged: "You then pushed her down towards the table which later caused her to push back into your groin area, believing your actions to be horseplay by one of her female colleagues. On discovering that you were the perpetrator, PC B was upset and disgusted by this behaviour. This was witnessed by four student PCs: G, H, E and F."
Inconsistencies were again highlighted in the evidence provided at the hearing, though the panel noted all students referred to PC Merenda being 'physically close' to the trainee, adding this was 'completely unnecessary'.
Certain mitigating factors were considered, such as a letter PC Merenda submitted in which he accepted the findings. Commander Khan, however, wrote the letter made no reference to the distress caused or the damage to the police.
As such, the panel deemed PC Merenda's insight could 'at best' be described as 'at an early stage of development'. It decided to dismiss PC Merenda without notice.
Detective Superintendent Carly Humphreys, Professional Standards, said: "The findings of the misconduct panel relate to three allegations of inappropriate behaviour by Merenda that breached our standards of professional behaviour.
"As a trainer, Merenda was in contact with trainee officers and in a position of trust. He betrayed that trust and behaved in a sexualised manner, which was completely inappropriate. He has been dismissed with immediate effect.
"Trust and confidence in policing is essential and we take every action necessary to maintain our professional standards and expect all officers and staff to serve with honesty and integrity."
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