Ex-South Yorkshire Police officer facing 19 allegations of sending sexually inappropriate & offensive messages
A former South Yorkshire Police officer is facing 19 allegations relating to the sending of messages which were reportedly sexually inappropriate, offensive or discriminatory over a 29-month period.
The allegations have been made against former police constable Curtis Farrow, who is set to go before an accelerated misconduct hearing next Thursday (February 13, 2025).
Mr Farrow is no longer a serving officer with South Yorkshire Police, but is understood to have been during the time period covered in the allegations, which runs between February 2021 and July 2023.
The force has this week (Wednesday, February 5, 2025), published the details of all 19 allegations, which are as follows:
- On 1 July 2021, the former officer sent 4 messages on a student officer WhatsApp group which were sexually inappropriate and/or offensive.
- On 20 April 2021, the former officer sent a message on a student officer WhatsApp group which was sexually inappropriate and/or offensive.
- On 25 May 2021, the former officer sent 3 messages on a student officer WhatsApp group which were sexually inappropriate and/or offensive.
- On 29 May 2021, the former officer sent a message on a student office WhatsApp group which was inappropriate and/or offensive.
- On 13 May 2021, the former officer sent a message on a student office WhatsApp group which was inappropriate and/or offensive.
- On 28 June 2021, the former officer sent a message on a student office WhatsApp group which was inappropriate, sexually inappropriate, discriminatory and/or offensive.
- On 29 June 2021, the former officer sent 2 messages on a student office WhatsApp group which were inappropriate, sexually inappropriate, discriminatory and/or offensive.
- On 12 August 2021, the former officer sent a message on a student office WhatsApp group which was inappropriate, sexually inappropriate, discriminatory and/or offensive.
- On 25 March 2021, the former officer sent a message on a student office WhatsApp group which was inappropriate, sexually inappropriate, discriminatory and/or offensive.
- On 4 August 2021, the former officer sent a message on a student office WhatsApp group which was inappropriate, sexually inappropriate, discriminatory and/or offensive.
- On 6 August 2021, the former officer sent 2 messages on a student office WhatsApp group which were inappropriate, sexually inappropriate, discriminatory and/or offensive.
- On 1 October 2021, the former officer sent a message on a student office WhatsApp group which was inappropriate, sexually inappropriate, discriminatory and/or offensive.
- On 15 April 2021, the former officer sent 2 messages on a student office WhatsApp group which were inappropriate, sexually inappropriate, discriminatory and/or offensive.
- On 26 April 2021, the former officer sent a message on a student office WhatsApp group which was inappropriate, sexually inappropriate, discriminatory and/or offensive.
- On 14 May 2021, the former officer sent a message on a student office WhatsApp group which was inappropriate, sexually inappropriate, discriminatory and/or offensive.
- On 3 June 2021, the former officer sent a message on a student office WhatsApp group which was inappropriate, sexually inappropriate, discriminatory and/or offensive.
- On 2 July 2021, the former officer sent a message on a student office WhatsApp group which was inappropriate, sexually inappropriate, discriminatory and/or offensive.
- On 5 February 2021, the former officer sent a message on a student office WhatsApp group which was inappropriate, sexually inappropriate, discriminatory and/or offensive.
- On 7 July 2023, the former officer sent a message on a student office WhatsApp group which was inappropriate, sexually inappropriate, discriminatory and/or offensive.
Should the allegations against Mr Farrow be proven, they would amount to a breach of the Standards of Professional Behaviour in respect of discreditable conduct, the documents state.
They add: “The matter set out above is a breach of the Standards which is so serious as to justify dismissal and therefore constitutes gross misconduct.”
Detailing the ‘purpose’ of public misconduct hearings, South Yorkshire Police’s website states it is to ‘show’ that their ‘disciplinary system is open and transparent’ and to demonstrate that the force does ‘hold officers who breach the standards of professional behaviour, or those where misconduct is found proven, accountable for their actions’.
Hearings should be heard by a panel of three people that should be chaired by an independent legally qualified person chosen from a pool held by the local policing body, further guidance states.