AN OFFICER who made thumbs-up gestures to a speed camera as he answered two 999 calls received a "substantial fine" at a misconduct hearing, according to the police.
South Yorkshire policeman David Mayes, 34, took his hands off the steering wheel twice to gesture to the camera on the way to each emergency call-out.
The officer was banned from driving for six months by magistrates in February this year and was suspended from front-line duties until the conclusion of the misconduct proceedings by the force.
He was also fined £400 after pleading guilty to two counts of driving without due care and attention at Halifax Magistrates' Court.
The court heard how Pc Mayes passed the camera at speeds of 68mph and 73mph in the 40mph zone on Halifax Road, in Grenoside, Sheffield, in the early hours of the morning on July 26, 2007.
Today, a police spokesman said: "The officer concerned appeared before a misconduct hearing and his conduct fell below what South Yorkshire Police and the public expect.
"The panel took into account the officer's previous good service but imposed a substantial fine."
The spokesman could not confirm the amount of the fine but said Pc Mayes had been allowed to return to normal operational duties following the conclusion of the misconduct proceedings.
He added: "The officer's position as a police driver will be reassessed when his ban expires."
