Dorset Police Inspector Dismissed for Misconduct
Detective Inspector Mark Portelli has been sacked without notice and placed on the national police barred list following a public misconduct hearing, after a panel found he attempted to exploit his rank to influence door staff and junior colleagues during an off-duty incident.
A serving Dorset Police detective inspector has been dismissed without notice after a misconduct panel determined he had abused his position, following an off-duty altercation in Bournemouth that left colleagues in an uncomfortable position and brought the force into disrepute.
The public misconduct hearing, held at Dorset Police Headquarters in Winfrith, concluded on Thursday, 9 April 2026. The panel found that Detective Inspector Mark Portelli had breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour in three areas: authority, respect and courtesy; discreditable conduct; and honesty and integrity.
The incident at the centre of the hearing took place on the evening of 30 March 2024, continuing into the early hours of Sunday 31 March, on Poole Hill in Bournemouth. Portelli was off duty at the time.
Whether on or off duty, our officers should adhere to the highest standards of behaviour and
integrity at all times.”
D E P U T Y CH I E F C O NS T A B L E R A C H E L F A R R E L L, D O R S E T PO L I C E
According to the panel’s findings, Portelli told nightclub door staff that he was a police officer to influence how they handled both him and an altercation he had with a woman. He also invoked his rank as an inspector to affect how lower-ranking officers who arrived at the scene managed the incident.
The panel further determined that he addressed the officers in a manner described as challenging, arrogant, and patronising. During the hearing, Portelli accepted full responsibility for his conduct, expressing that he was both embarrassed and ashamed of the language he had used.
He also acknowledged that his behaviour had significantly complicated the situation for the officers involved. Despite this, the panel concluded that the severity of the misconduct justified dismissal without notice. Portelli will now be placed on the police barred list, prohibiting him from working in policing in England and Wales.
Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Farrell praised the officers who confronted their senior colleague’s misconduct, highlighting their courage, integrity, and impartiality. She commended their professionalism in handling the situation.
“The way Mark Portelli treated members of the public carrying out their duties was unacceptable, as was his behaviour as a senior officer toward colleagues who were working to resolve the incident professionally,” DCC Farrell stated.
“We are fully committed to holding officers accountable when their actions fall short of the high standards we expect. We want to make it clear that there is no place in our organisation for anyone who behaves in this manner.”
HOW TO REPORT POLICE CORRUPTION
Members of the public can report concerns about serving officers, staff, or volunteers through the independent Police Anti-Corruption and Abuse Reporting Service, operated by Crimestoppers. You can contact them by calling 0800 085 0000 or through the Crimestoppers website.
Alternatively, you can report directly to Dorset Police by calling 101, emailing countercorruptionunit.dorset@dorset.pnn.police.uk or submitting a report online at dorset.police.uk.
