A Zimbabwean born UK sergeant who was caught drink driving while off-duty has been dismissed from Bedfordshire Police.
Tau Chamboko, who had 16 years’ unblemished service, was stopped by officers after he overtook them in wet conditions in Hertfordshire at around 10pm on 9 November last year.
He took five attempts to give a roadside breath test, before finally gave a reading of 58 microgrammes per 100 millilitres of breath – the legal limit is 35. He then claimed to be unwell when he got to custody and was taken to hospital – eventually giving a urine sample six hours after being stopped, but was found to still be over the prescribed limit.
Chamboko was charged with drink driving and pleaded guilty at St Albans Magistrates’ Court on 8 February. He was disqualified from driving for 12 months and ordered to pay a fine and costs totalling £643.
Chief Constable Jon Boutcher dismissed him without notice.
Mr Boutcher told him: “It is of great sadness that an officer of your standing is lost to policing. But it is my responsibility to deal with this matter properly and clearly the public, and your peers, would lose confidence in Bedfordshire Police if you were to remain as a warranted officer.”
Chamboko made news headlines across many Zimbabwe news tabloids few years ago as an exemplary and hardworking diasporan serving in the British Police.
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