Three police officers told off after being caught in Bournemouth pitch invasion when off-duty

Three police officers have been told off after being caught in the AFC Bournemouth pitch invasion when off-duty a few weeks back.

DorsetLive report that the trio were reprimanded for running onto the pitch with the large crowd of Cherries supporters after their side sealed a return to the Premier League on the 3rd of May.

Fans could be seen setting off flares and surrounding the players and staff in celebration at the Vitality Stadium with one of the three officers involved said to be a superintendent.

AFC BOURNEMOUTH ARE PROMOTED TO THE PREMIER LEAGUEEEE#afcb pic.twitter.com/g8XgzIjztm

— Jacob Tanswell (@J_Tanswell) May 3, 2022

The force said the all three were “asked to reflect on their involvement”, with a message sent to other staff reiterating the “high standards of behaviour” expected of them.

A Dorset Police statement said: “On Tuesday May 3 2022 AFC Bournemouth played Nottingham Forest and secured promotion to the Premier League, which led to a pitch invasion by a large number of AFC Bournemouth fans following the final whistle.

“An internal report was subsequently made to the Force’s Professional Standards Department that stated off-duty Dorset Police officers were involved in the pitch invasion. Three police officers were identified and were asked to reflect on their involvement.

“Following the game, a message was issued internally reminding all officers and staff of the high standards of behaviour expected of them both in and out of work and reiterating that no matter how exciting it is for their team to win promotion to the Premier League, they must not be involved in pitch invasions.”

Her colleagues monitoring CCTV were left stunned when seeing Supt Derbyshire, of Dorset Police, celebrating on the playing area.

One source said: “When police were looking through the footage they had the shock of their lives when they saw the superintendent on the pitch celebrating.

“There were a couple of other officers from the force who got carried away and ran on to the pitch to jump up and down with the crowd.

“None of the officers caused any trouble and it was all good-natured. But the law is the law and clearly they, of all people, should have been aware that what they were doing was illegal.”

BOURNEMOUTH ARE PROMOTED TO THE PREMIER LEAGUE 🤯pic.twitter.com/MLrhBJ0Hyv

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 3, 2022

They received informal advice to reflect and a message was sent to all officers warning they must not invade football pitches, no matter how exciting the occasion.

The Sun say Supt Derbyshire is currently on attachment to the inspectorate of constabulary. She previously ran a major crime team investigating murders and serious offences.

A source said: “She’s from the area and her family are all diehard Cherries. Sarah is very well-respected in the force and has had a very good career, much of it as a detective dealing with major crimes.

“She’s the real deal but still only human and the emotion of Bournemouth winning promotion clearly got to her.”

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services said: “We are aware an employee of Dorset Police currently seconded to HMICFRS was involved in an incident earlier this month. It is a matter for Dorset Police as the individual’s employer to take appropriate action.”

Fans reacted to hearing that three police officers have been told off after being caught in Bournemouth pitch invasion when off-duty…

@RedsssSeaside: They “got carried away and ran onto the pitch to jump up and down with the crowd. None of [them] caused any trouble and it was all good-natured.” Funny how they are able to use common sense all of a sudden.

@capfc11: Don’t see the problem, there’s a good few thousand on the pitch. Probably off duty fire service, ambulance, doctors etc in there as well!! Off duty means exactly that, so at that moment they are just football fans like the rest

@monkeyH78: Ban them from grounds and stick their faces on the front of local newspapers so they lose their jobs, maybe embellish the story to make what they’ve done sound worse, what if one of them had had a knife?…. This is what police do to other fans.

@CityGroundShelf: Those who enforce the rules, break the rules. Seems quite a theme at the minute x

@SeanyBizzlez: Those “middle class coke head” football fans at it again I see.

@barbaraward1211: I don’t like pitch invasions, childish people who can’t hold emotions. Stay in seats applaud, shout and yell but not on pitch. One day a player will be seriously hurt thru the rampage of excitement. Stop It Before next season.

@JannerMan6: WTAF !!!! Reflect on their bahaviour. Guilty of invading a football pitch end of, its a “Law” which they, Police Officer’s broke 😡 I fukin give up 👀

@rbh1978: Oh dear – you would have thought they would know the Law

@Philjw80: @BournemouthPol should be upholding the law not taking part in criminality.

@from_Paddington: Is it just “Top Superintendents” from @dorsetpolice who can use the “only human” defence having apparently committed a criminal offence under the Football Offences Act, or is it open to all? Please help.

@Bretwaldas: Whatever happened to police leading by example, by not committing a criminal offence at the very least?

@dorsetpolice the police & FA have continuously warned spectators about pitch invasion for months now. One of your Superintendents ignores the warnings and they are given reflective practice. Outrageous!! pic.twitter.com/W5xFy3sgPq

— Troy Stavers (@raver_roy) May 24, 2022

Perhaps they no longer think following the rules matter considering the law makers dont care and the papers who should be holding them to account dont.

— matty H #FBPPR #MakeVotesMatter (@Shakermakermatt) May 24, 2022

Claire Smith: Fascinates me all the people crying out for blood and the injustice of it all. All the comments about how if they weren’t police officers they’d have been in more trouble. Yet of all the others on the pitch they were the only ones told off. Ohhhh the injustice of it all. For god sake we’ve got a fickle society, and some of you need to look to yourselves as to why you’re so bothered about 3 people, along with a crowd of other people, enjoying themselves is so high on your list of issues.

Mark Allen: Ridiculous, pitch invasions are a criminal offence any police officer off duty doing so should be sacked. Superintendent should know better 😡😡

Nicholas John: It doesnt look good and it doesnt build confidence. I think everyone should be given an opportunity to learn from their mistakes, so I think they should be put on restricted duties for a while and the superintendent should resign. The buck stops with you when you’re a leader, and if you cant demonstrate good leadership you should get out of the job.

Angela Willett: I understand football is a passionate game (for some ) and they genuinely got caught up in the moment. If it was kept friendly then a telling off would suffice. I don’t think they will do it again.The Police seem to be obsessed with cakes so they would have to be expensive ones and count their lucky stars a Superintendent was with them. I too think it would have been a whole different ball game if she hadn’t been there. Excuse that pun there😊

Sophire Burt: Putting it slightly into perspective there are people who are very high up in security industry (e.g. top safety officers for stadiums) whose very jobs are to prevent this behaviour have themselves got overwhelmed with emotion and have been part of pitch invasions in other stadiums. It happens. But there is a huge difference in intentions from one pitch invasion to another. Tough one.