Christopher Knight, 35, was suspended by Tasmania Police in March 2020 after failing to disassociate from

Chantal Elizabeth Dance, 30, who faced several charges in the Launceston Magistrates Court last year.

Mr Knight put up a $2000 bail surety in the Supreme Court in Launceston in April 2019 when Ms Dance had bail refused in the Launceston Magistrates Court.

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Tasmania Police put out a statement earlier this year saying the officer which it did not name "was suspended from duty following an internal investigation into his association with another person, including the continued maintenance of that association after he was directed by a senior officer to cease the association."

"Police officers are subject to the direction and control of the Commissioner of Police and police officers must comply with any lawful direction, or lawful order, of a senior officer. This is in accordance with the Police Service Act 2003, section 35.

"The direction to disassociate was issued to the officer in accordance with our Declarable Associations Policy.

"The related disciplinary action has not yet been finalised. It is not appropriate to comment further."

The Police Association of Tasmania said last week that it was supporting its member.

The Declarable Associations policy was introduced into the Tasmania Police manual on March 1, 2018, after being reviewed by the Integrity Commission of Tasmania. The policy is aimed at ensuring that police discharge their duties impartially and works by requiring police to disclose relationships they have with certain people.

The manual says: "A failure to identify, disclose and manage a declarable association may lead to a breach of the Code of Conduct."

Ms Dance was subject to an interim order dated September 2018 which prohibited direct and indirect contact with a complainant other than for certain purposes but only via letter, email or an agreed third person or legal representative only.

On April 9, 2019, she appeared in the Launceston Magistrates Court charged with 16 counts of breaching the order including on March 21 by indirectly "having another person deliver documents to [the complainant] at his place of work". Bail was denied in the Magistrates Court.

Later that day Mr Knight attended the Supreme Court and provided a $2000 surety for Ms Dance's bail application. Bail was opposed by Crown prosecutor Emily Judd who told Justice Robert Pearce that Ms Dance was facing a charge of breaching the order including by having Mr Knight serve documents on a complainant.

"It is alleged that the proposed surety Chris Knight attended the complainant's workplace to serve a document," Ms Judd said.

Defence counsel Fran McCracken told the hearing that Ms Dance was in a committed relationship with Mr Knight. She said he was a member of Tasmania Police and that he understood the obligations of a surety.

In reply, Ms Judd said it was of concern that the proposed surety was a member of Tasmania Police who should have had an understanding of compliance with such orders.

When granting bail Justice Pearce asked Mr Knight if he understood the obligations of a surety to help ensure compliance. "I do Your Honour," he replied.

When the matter was finalised in July 2019, Ms Dance pleaded guilty to an amended complaint which said "she contacted [name withheld] multiple times by telephone".

Police tendered no evidence on the count which alleged Mr Knight delivered the documents.

Ms Dance received a global penalty of six months jail, wholly suspended for 18 months, for several matters including reckless driving, drug possession and breach of the no-contact orders.