Greater Manchester Police inspector took unauthorised job at World Cup while on career break

A Greater Manchester Police inspector accepted a job to work at the 2022 football World Cup without permission while on a career break, a misconduct hearing has been told.

In June 2020, Tariq Butt asked for time away from the force for childcare reasons and to go travelling but he failed to mention he already had an offer for a key role at the tournament in Qatar.

Three months later he started his new post on Fifa’s Safety & Security Operations Committee.

A disciplinary hearing found the officer had breached the standards of behaviour for discreditable conduct, confidentiality, honesty and integrity and orders and instructions, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said.

He was found to have committed gross misconduct and would have been dismissed had he not already resigned, added the watchdog.

Mr Butt will also be placed on the police barred list.

During the investigation directed by the IOPC, the career break policy was reviewed, which confirmed officers needed to obtain the permission of the chief constable before undertaking paid employment or a business interest while on a career break and no such permission was granted.

A file was passed to the Crown Prosecution Service which later confirmed it would not take the matter any further, added the IOPC.

Steve Noonan, IOPC director of operations, said: “Former inspector Butt has shown a complete disregard for the rules and acted dishonestly for his own personal gain. In doing so, he let down his colleagues and risked seriously undermining public confidence.

“To ensure that the public receive the best possible service, and in order to prevent conflicts of interest, police officers are subject to additional restrictions; needing permission before undertaking further paid employment or a business interest.

“Knowing that such a permission was not in place, inspector Butt flouted the rules while claiming to be on a career break.”

Butt had applied for a three-year career break from the force stating he would not work and would be financially supported by his family, said Greater Manchester Police (GMP).

Det Supt Steve Keeley, of GMP’s Anti-Corruption Unit, said: “It is clear that the actions of Tariq Butt demonstrated a complete disregard for the values of honesty and trust that we and the public rightly expect of our officers.

“If we cannot trust his actions then we certainly cannot expect the public to do so either.”