Stephen Corbishley, Commissioner of Police

A police officer, who changed his plea to guilty on Monday to destroying traffic tickets will be sentenced in the Supreme Court later today.

Kyle Wheatley, 34, admitted that he conspired with others to defeat the ends of justice by destroying traffic tickets issued to motorists between July 1, 2017 and May 8, 2018 and took “beneficial gain in deciding not to continue with those tickets”.

Wheatley, whose bail was extended until sentencing, handed in his resignation to the Commissioner of Police yesterday.

His co-accused colleagues were bailed with order to appear during the January arraignment session.

The Commissioner, Stephen Corbishley held a news conference on Monday to reassure the public that the behaviour of one officer, which could be damaging, should not reflect on the integrity of all other police officers in Bermuda.

But he confirmed that at least four other officers are currently on suspension, two male officers in relation to an alleged serious matter, and two female officers, who were “suspended a couple of months ago” for what he termed “corrupt behaviour”.

“As with any public service there are a few rotten apples,” said Mr Corbishley.

They “will be found out and their time with the BPS will no longer continue,” he added.

On Wheatley’s resignation, he said: “What should never happen though is that officer takes a personal decision for his own benefit … because that is corrupt behaviour.

“That is behaviour that undermines justice and it’s not the right thing. That cannot ever be accepted as a police officer.”

As head of the BPS, he said it was important that he speak up when one of his officers “falls below the standard expected by the public”.

“That standard is that they work with integrity, they work with ethics, and they work, above all, with an honest service to the public.

“This particular officer chose to go another direction and put himself first, and indeed he let down our local community in Bermuda and indeed he let down the Bermuda Police Service.”

On the case of the two female officers, he said they were both on bail as inquiries continued, until “a decision can be made on what to do next”.