THE Chief Constable of Essex has described the actions of a former police sergeant that cost her a career as 'unnecessary and stupid'.

Former Police Sergeant Amy Butler would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had she not already have resigned a panel chaired by the Essex Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington found at an Accelerated Misconduct Hearing on 30 March 2026.

The former officer attended a house with two colleagues as a result of a call made to police where a man had requested assistance as he had taken drugs.

Once there, ex-Sgt Butler having found two small bags of what was believed to be cocaine directed junior colleagues to release the person who had possession of them as they had arrested him.

Having seized the drugs the former officer poured the drugs away in the street contrary to policy that should have seen them taken to the station where they would have been formally destroyed. She also failed to properly record the possession of drugs or accurately report what had happened.

The allegations were found proven and ex-Sgt Butler was found to have breached standards of professional behaviour in honesty and integrity, orders and instructions, duties and responsibilities and discreditable conduct.

The panel, chaired by CC Harrington, found she would have been dismissed had she not already resigned from the force.

She will also be placed on the policing Barred List that means she can never rejoin policing in any role.

The Chief said: "The actions of ex-Sgt Butler fell well short of what we expect of our officers in Essex.

"This is an unnecessary and stupid error. There is no good reason apparent to have followed this course of action and this was made even more seriousness because of the bad example it set two junior officers by an experienced supervisor. 

"What a waste of a career and more importantly a betrayal of public trust to act properly and professionally."