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A police officer from the Metropolitan Police has been removed from her position after operating a tanning business for two years, while claiming she was unable to attend work because of mental health problems.

PC Jennifer Stowers, 37, stationed in the Central West Command Unit, operated her mobile spray tanning business, @jenniferstowerstan viaInstagram, from May 18, 2023, to April 2, 2025, the misconduct panel listened while asserting an inability to be present in person.

On November 23, 2023, the employee was directed to occupational health following her notification to her supervisor that she could no longer work in the office because of her mental well-being, with appropriate accommodations provided.

Nevertheless, her supervisor later discovered the company’s Instagram account where PC Stowers advertised tanning services for ‘parties, hen parties, and private home appointments’ on April 2, 2025.

A panel of professional standards determined that her behavior was ‘intentional and calculated,’ and it ‘negatively impacted the police service and public trust.’

The panel was informed that the officer provided tanning services to many clients outside of her home, and on May 2, 2023, she placed an ad stating she was “happy to travel” and offer clients “a sun-kissed tan in the comfort of [their] own home.”

In 2024, PC Stowers shared multiple posts that featured clients and availability, according to the relevant authority.

In the same year, she was also honored as Spray Tanning Artist Of The Year at both the national level and within the southeast England region by the Gb Beauty & UK Hair Awards.

During an interview on June 4, 2025, PC Stowers acknowledged that she might have tanned ‘a friend of two’ during her usual breaks while working.

During the evidence, PC Stowers stated: “It was just a hobby I was interested in, and it made me feel better, to be honest.”

When asked, she mentioned that she had bought her 2024 award, stating it was not “legitimate,” and also claimed that her over five thousand followers were due to a “following loop” and were not real.

Leading the panel, Commander Katie Lilburn questioned PC Stowers about whether she had been tanning during work hours, citing the timing of her social media updates, to which the officer responded that she had planned her posts ahead of time to achieve maximum interaction.

PC Stowers also stated that she came to understand the company was more of a business than a pastime when ‘people paid her for [it]’.

She also stated that she only charged enough to cover the business expenses, such as fuel, hair nets, and other supplies, and that she “wasn’t making a profit” from her mobile tanning company.

The 37-year-old stated that she never shared a price list publicly and had only discussed costs openly on social media through a Kent wedding forum.

The relevant official stated that if the officer was capable of managing a spray tanning business and visiting clients, she should also be fit to resume her duties as a police officer.

They also asserted, through operating the spray tan business, PC Stowers had ‘eroded public trust in the Metropolitan Police’.

By not registering the business with the force or notifying her supervisor, PC Stowers was determined to have engaged in conduct that is disgraceful.

While working from home because of mental health issues, PC Stowers was determined to have violated integrity standards in managing the business.

And, for tanning clients during breaks, she was determined to have violated standards of duty and responsibility, constituting serious misconduct.

Commander Lilburn stated that the advertisement placed by PC Stowers on May 2, 2024, aimed to ‘draw in customers and was not considered necessary travel’

She also mentioned that PC Stowers had been seen on social media in nightclubs, bars, and at a wedding, indicating she might have been a model for a fashion designer.

Commander Kilburn stated to the panel, “The officer has lied to her supervisor and to occupational health,” and in doing so, had “violated honesty and integrity, which are crucial for the role of a police officer.”

As a result, she declared PC Stowers guilty of serious wrongdoing and terminated her employment without prior notice.

Commander Lilburn stated that PC Stowers was ‘intentional and deliberate’ in managing the spray tanning business for two years.

‘She has deceived her manager and the Occupational Health department for her own advantage,’ she continued.

I consider the degree of responsibility to be significant.

There was no immediate damage, but there has been a negative impact on the police service and public trust.

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