South Wales Police suspended an officer from driving this week after video emerged of the cop trying to watch a soccer match while speeding with full lights and sirens.
The footage was recorded in August 2022, but the police forces claims that it wasn’t aware of the footage until last month, according to WalesOnline. Soccer might be life for some people, but it’s definitely not worth taking your eyes off the road.
The video itself is damning. The sirens are blaring, and the lights are on as the police vehicle drives on a two-lane road in a residential area. Perched atop the dashboard is a phone showing a soccer match broadcast. Based on when the video was recorded, the match was an August 5, 2022 clash between Crystal Palace and Arsenal in London. Chief Inspector Eddie May of the South Wales Police said in a statement to the BBC:
“Road safety is of paramount importance and we expect the highest standards of behavior and professionalism to be maintained by our officers at all times. The driver has been formally suspended from driving by the force’s driver training unit pending the outcome of the professional standards department investigation.”
And if you care to know what happened in the match, Arsenal defeated Crystal Palace 2 goals to nil in the London derby. Victory for the Gunners was cemented by Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi scoring an own goal in the 85th minute. The officer behind the wheel definitely committed an own goal of his own.
While the officer has been suspended, his fate is only pending the outcome of an investigation by the police force’s professional standards department. Many in Britain are baffled by the internal investigation dragging on for weeks despite the video evidence. It’s unclear what punishment the officer could face should the police service finally deems it appropriate.