A police officer's career is in shambles after he was booted out of the force and jailed after pleading guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice after telling investigators it was his brother-in-law, not him, who fled the scene of a minor traffic accident.

Former Mill Park officer Senior Constable Jamie Mackenzie went to buy cigarettes during a Boxing Day celebration at his house in December 2015 when, headed home, he backed his car into another vehicle.

Jamie Mackenzie previously served as a senior constable in the Victorian Police. Credit:File

Apologising and promising to meet the victims around the corner, Mackenzie instead fled home and lied to investigators, first saying he didn't know who was driving and later telling police it was his brother-in-law Stephen Patterson who was behind the wheel.

The court heard Mackenzie co-ordinated with Patterson to shift responsibility for the collision. Mr Patterson told police that, on the day of the incident, when Mackenzie was on the phone with investigators, he whispered "just say it was me driving".