A POLICE officer has been sacked after refusing to provide a specimen when he was stopped by traffic cops.

The Essex Police officer was initially suspended from duty, but when he appeared in court he was convicted of the offence and was sacked from the force.

His details will appear on the police’s national disapproved register, which contains information on officers across the country who have been sacked for gross misconduct.

The case is one of four being investigation either by the force of the Independent Police Complaints Commission or the force’s own Professional Standards Department.

Exact details on the officers and their offences and alleged offences - including where they took place in the county - are scarce.

The cases also include two Essex Police special staff - one special constable and one special chief inspector - who are being investigated by the force’s Professional Standards Department.

The chief inspector has been suspended after a complaint was lodged by members of the public which stated he had verbally abused them after they identified him as a police officer.

In the case of the constable - who is based in the North Local Policing Area, which covers Colchester, Tendring, Uttlesford, Braintree, Chelmsford and Maldon - he was arrested by British Transport Police for indecent conduct. He has been suspended.

An IPCC investigation has also been launched after a man was arrested on suspicion of domestic abuse and bailed to another force for different offences.

But when he was released, he returned to the scene of his arrest and assaulted two people.

At the moment, in total, three police officers and three special constables are suspended from duty.

Essex Police Crime Commissioner Nick Alston said: “I remain thoroughly committed to being open and transparent about police disciplinary processes, and I am conscious that some of the cases outlined in the report make for uncomfortable reading.

“However, this scrutiny work should help ensure that the people of Essex can have confidence that where misconduct occurs, it will be identified and addressed, and that their police force remains committed to the highest professional standards.”

A statement from Essex Police said: “The Chief Constable of Essex Police is very clear that the trust and confidence of the public in his officers and staff is vital to allow the force to operate effectively.

“The vast majority of officers and staff are professional and act with honesty and integrity but the force is very aware that the actions of rogue individuals can impact greatly on how it is viewed.

“For this reason the Chief Constable aims to deal robustly with any allegations of misconduct and ensure that they are fully investigated, that appropriate action is taken and lessons are learned.”