James McClements, 35, pleaded guilty at Bristol Crown Court on April 10 and was sentenced on June 16 to eight months in prison, suspended for 12 months.
The offence related to an intimate relationship with a domestic abuse victim whom he met in November 2023 during an investigation.
Deputy chief constable Rachel Farrell of Dorset Police said: “For any member of the police service to pursue a sexual or improper relationship with a victim is an abuse of their position.
“In this case, McClements gave a domestic abuse victim his personal phone number and pursued a sexual relationship with her.
“Additionally, on one occasion he encouraged her not report to police a breach of contact by the reported domestic abuse perpetrator, which could have put her at greater risk.
“He fell well below the standards expected of a police officer and I want to make it extremely clear that the behaviour of this former officer was totally unacceptable and he was not fit to serve in Dorset Police.”
McClements resigned from the force in April 2025.
A misconduct hearing on May 19 found he had committed gross misconduct and would have been dismissed if he had not already resigned.
During the hearing, it was revealed McClements provided the victim with his personal phone number, made inappropriate contact, and began a sexual relationship.
He also discouraged the victim from reporting contact with the reported domestic abuse perpetrator in order to protect himself.
Ms Farrell said: “The victim was putting her trust in the police and it is dreadful that this former officer did not maintain professional boundaries and broke this trust.
“Our Professional Standards Department carried out a robust investigation into what happened and I would like to praise the victim for the courage and bravery she has shown throughout.
“We are committed to investigating unethical or unacceptable behaviour relating to a member of our organisation and would encourage the public to report any concerns to the Force so they can be thoroughly investigated.”
The incident was first reported to Dorset Police in November 2024 and McClements was subsequently arrested and interviewed under caution.
Members of the public can report concerns about serving police officers, staff, or volunteers to the Police Anti-Corruption and Abuse Reporting Service. The service is run by the independent charity Crimestoppers, and information can be given by calling 0800 085 0000 or via the Crimestoppers website.