A routine device audit uncovered nude photographs of a female colleague on the work phones of Detective Inspector Ben Coogan, 49, a 26‑year vetrean of the Metropolitan Police. Coogan was dismissed for gross misconduct after a hearing chaired by Commander Andy Brittain found his actions undermined public trust and posed data‑breach risks.

Coogan’s 26‑Year Career and the Timing of the Images

Coogan had led domestic abuse investigations across several London boroughs for nearly three decades. The audit revealed that he had taken the consensual images using two separate work phhones between May and July 2025, claiming he only intended to review them before deletion. According to the hearing, he was unable to delete the first four images because he had lost the first phone.

Commander Brittain’s Assessment of the Misuse of Police Equipment

Commander Andy Brittain, who chaired the gross misconduct hearing, emphasized that storing such images on police‑issued devices posed significant risks, including potential unauthorized access, accidental public dissemination, and harm to the sender if consent was not maintained. The report notes that while the images were taken consensually, the misuse of force equipment transformed the act into gross misconduct.

Impact on Public Confidence and Data‑Security Protocols

The Metropolitan Police’s decision to dismiss Coogan underscores the force’s stance on safeguarding public confidence. the hearing highlighted that the retention of sensitive imagees on official systems could erode trust and expose the force to legal and reputational damage. The incident serves as a cautionary tale for officers handling personal data on work devices .

Unanswered Questions About the Colleague’s Consent and Future Re‑employment

While Coogan denied sharing the images with anyone , the hearing did not confirm whether the female colleague had explicitly consented to the images being stored on police equipment. additionally, the Metropolitan Police has barred Coogan from future re‑employment, but the broader implications for his career outside the force remain unclear.