A police officer has sparked fury after being filmed using his mobile phone while waiting at traffic lights.
The footage, which appears to show an unnamed West Yorkshire Police officer speaking into his handset, was recorded by a stunned onlooker in Bradford, West Yorkshire on Thursday night.
The clip starts with the balding constable behind the wheel of a police van putting his thumb up to the camera-person before appearing to answer his phone.
‘Shocking’: A West Yorkshire Police officer was allegedly recorded using his phone at the traffic lights by a passenger on Thursday (right). In the clip, the constable puts his thumb up (left)
As the lights turn green, the officer appears to end the call before returning to his drive.
Onlooker Rizwan Desai, 19, who filmed the moment, claims the police officer wasn’t wearing a seatbelt.
The footage has surfaced despite tougher punishments been brought in last year where drivers are now given six points and or a £200 fine if found to be flouting the law.
Mr Desai, a student who was in his friend’s car at the time, has described the officer’s actions as ‘horrendous, disgraceful, hypocritical and a blatant disregard for the law’.
He said: ‘He has a duty as a police officer to inform the public on the danger of driving on the phone, and the law changed recently.
‘Knowing that seeing a police officer on duty on the phone was shocking.
‘They should follow the rules, how can they tell us not to use our phones when they are using them themselves?
‘It was horrendous, disgraceful, hypocritical and a blatant disregard for the law.
‘He should know the consequences and the dangers he is posing to other drivers on the road.
‘By enforcing the rules, he should lead by example.’
The Crown Prosecution Service website states that, under existing case law, a person may still be driving whilst the engine is running and the vehicle is stationary.
This means that an individual stopped at a traffic light could be prosecuted for a mobile phone offence.
The matter has been referred to the West Yorkshire Police Professional Standards Department for further investigation.
Superintendent Daniel Greenwood, of Bradford District Police, said: ‘A complaint has been received in relation to a police officer appearing to use his mobile phone while driving a vehicle in Bradford on Thursday, March 15.
‘It was also reported that the officer was not wearing a seatbelt.
‘The officer has been identified and the matter has been referred to West Yorkshire Police Professional Standards Department for further investigation.
‘An investigation is also ongoing in relation to possible road traffic offences and these will be dealt with as if they were committed by a member of the public.
‘We demand the highest standards of our officers and staff and, where these standards are not upheld, we will investigate thoroughly and take appropriate action.’