Devon and Cornwall Police officer given final warning over offensive George Floyd meme

‘I didn’t think about it deeply and I didn’t look at the image in detail,’ said Sergeant Geraint Jones

A sketch of Geraint Jones at Plymouth Magistrates’ Court (PA)

A Devon and Cornwall Police officer has been handed a final warning for sending a grossly offensive meme depicting the arrest of George Floyd to a work WhatsApp group.

Sergeant Geraint Jones, 47, avoided being sacked from his job after a police disciplinary panel decided instead to issue him with a written warning that will remain in place for five years.

The Devon and Cornwall officer, who admitted gross misconduct, was found to have breached the professional standards expected of his position, following an Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation.

Sergeant Jones admitted sharing the image with work colleagues on a WhatsApp group on 30 May last year, five days after George Floyd’s death.

The meme showed Floyd’s arrest in Minneapolis on 25 May with an image of Wardy Joubert III, naked, superimposed on it.

Mr Joubert, who has modelled for pornographic photos as a side profession, has been the subject of an internet meme since 2012.

Sgt Jones insisted he did not mean to cause offence when sharing the image, but one member of the work chat group complained about it and the matter was referred to Devon and Cornwall Police’s professional standards department.

The custody sergeant in Torquay, who had served with the police for 23 years, deleted the meme and apologised for sending it.

He had previously been acquitted by Plymouth Magistrate’s Court of sending the grossly offensive image, saying during that trial: “Maybe I was after a cheap laugh or trying to raise a smile.

“I didn’t think about it deeply and I didn’t look at the image in detail.”

George Floyd was murdered by a police officer during an arrest after a shop worker suspected he may have used a counterfeit $20 bill last May. Derek Chauvin, who was convicted of Floyd’s murder, knelt on his neck and back for 9 minutes and 29 seconds.

IOPC regional director Catrin Evans said: “The image was bound to cause significant offence, not least within our black communities.

“It is encouraging that the matter was swiftly reported by a work colleague who rightly called out the behaviour.

“The outcome is a reminder that the sharing of offensive material by any serving police officer is unacceptable, and that individuals will be held accountable.”

Assistant chief constable Glen Mayhew said: “Devon and Cornwall Police expect all officers and staff to abide by high standards of ethical behaviour, both on and off duty.

“In this instance, the behaviour of Sgt Jones fell below those expected standards, something that was acknowledged by both the officer and the panel.”