A POLICE officer has been dismissed after misusing his siren.

Special inspector Phillip Simpson was dismissed after using his car's lights and siren to drive three miles between Old Forest Road and Easthampstead Road.

The officer, based at Wokingham police station, was dismissed without warning earlier today following a two day hearing.

Thames Valley Police detective chief superintendent Tim de Meyer, head of professional standards, said: "Warning equipment is fitted to police vehicles in order that appropriately trained officers can respond to emergencies as safely as possible.

"Special inspector Simpson activated this equipment when he was not trained to do so.

"The public must be able to have confidence that officers are driving in accordance with their training and abilities and Special Inspector Simpson’s dismissal sends a clear message that any failure to do so will be thoroughly investigated and dealt with robustly."

He used the police car's blue lights, horn and flashing headlights as he made the journey on Wednesday, October 7.

He had been warned once before for misusing a car's emergency sirens.

Simpson also answered two other breaches of the Standards of Professional Behaviour after storing a canister of CAPTOR, a form of pepper spray, in his personal locker whilst off duty and encouraging a special constable to irresponsibly store a canister.

He was handed a final written warning for the first offence, which took place between October 7 and November 18 last year and there was no case to answer in relation to the second.