Disgraced Burton Latimer detective sacked by police after criminal convictions

A disgraced detective who was involved in a 100mph crash and used an incapacitant spray on an innocent member of the public has been sacked by police.

Michael Chang, of Burton Latimer, was handed a suspended prison sentence in 2021 after a case at Northampton Crown Court and later had an appeal turned down by the UK’s most senior judge.

And the detective constable, who was based at Huntingdon Police Station, has now been dismissed without notice by Cambridgeshire Police after a four-day misconduct hearing found him to have breached the standards of professional behaviour.

Chief constable Nick Dean said: “The public should be able to trust that police officers will act professionally at all times.

“Det Con Chang’s actions on two occasions were completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

"We expect the highest standard of professionalism from our officers, but Det Con Chang’s conduct has been found to have fallen short of our expectations and in addition, the public would rightly expect that dismissal would be the consequence.”

Chang was sentenced to 16 months in prison, suspended for two years, after admitting dangerous driving and possession of a firearm, his police issued PAVA spray. He was ordered to pay £5,300 in costs and a fine and disqualified from driving for 14 months.

A judge previously heard Chang was late for a hearing at court in Peterborough on March 30, 2020, when he drove at 114mph on the A1, with sirens and blue lights, while calling his supervising officer.

Three seconds after a call connected Chang attempted to leave the road but left it too late and lost control, hitting a barrier at 100mph and crossing the carriageway in front of another vehicle. The driver of the car he crossed in front of called 999 but while she was doing so, Chang took it over saying he was a police officer.

He then called his supervising officer, pretending simply to have pulled over to the side of the road to request the name of the lawyer he was due to meet, making no reference to the accident. His supervising officer discovered what had happened when the other driver reported it. Chang later admitted he shouldn’t have been using the lights and sirens.

Two weeks later Chang finished a shift and, on the way to his home in Slipton Road, he stopped at Tesco in Carina Road, Kettering. He put on some police uniform so he could go to the head of the queue as a Covid ‘keyworker’.

He then went to buy petrol but saw an argument between a staff member and a member of the public. Chang believed – wrongly – the man was attempting to leave without paying. Chang stood in front of the man’s car and tried to speak to him by pointing and shouting.

He then went to his own car and retrieved his belt to which his police-issue PAVA spray holster and baton were attached. The spray should have been left in an assigned PAVA locker when he left work. Chang chased the man and sprayed him with PAVA.