UK Police Officer Dismissed for Biting Colleague at Birthday Bash

The Metropolitan Police in the United Kingdom has dismissed Nigerian-British officer PC Shola Balogun following an incident that unfolded at a birthday party on April 22, 2022.

The celebration, held at Goals Sports Bar in Bexleyheath, South East London, was meant to mark a fellow officer's 40th birthday with around 70 attendees present. According to reports, PC Shola Balogun arrived at the event "in a ridiculously drunken state," as described by a fellow anonymous officer.

Throughout the evening, Balogun continued to drink heavily, which led to increasingly disruptive behavior. At approximately 11:30 PM, an altercation occurred when Balogun removed a colleague's glasses and dropped them on the floor.

Although the colleague initially responded in a friendly manner, tensions escalated when Balogun allegedly pushed him by the throat.

The situation took a more serious turn when, amidst the loud music, Balogun leaned forward and bit the officer on his right cheek.

Despite Balogun's denial of these actions, a medical report confirmed a suspected bite mark on the victim's face, corroborating eyewitness accounts.

The severity of the incident prompted a disciplinary hearing, where it was determined that a Final Written Warning would not suffice.

The panel concluded that "on the balance of probabilities," PC Balogun had indeed assaulted his colleague by biting him. Consequently, the decision was made to dismiss Balogun from the force, underscoring the importance of maintaining professional conduct and accountability, even in social settings.