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Police sack top Asian cop

22/ 2/2007

ONE of the highest ranking Asian officers in Greater Manchester Police has been sacked after a disciplinary tribunal claimed he had behaved dishonestly and brought discredit to the service.

Sikh officer Bal Singh, aged 39, has been thrown out of the police after an investigation by GMP's internal affairs department.
Mr Singh, only one of two Asian inspectors in GMP, has denied any wrongdoing through a period of 18 months suspension from the force.

He is is now taking GMP to an employment tribunal alleging racial discrimination.

A statement issued by GMP said: "Greater Manchester Police expects the highest professional standards from all officers and staff and any allegation of inappropriate behaviour is thoroughly investigated.

"A 39-year-old officer has today been dismissed from GMP after a misconduct hearing. Six allegations of dishonesty or behaving without integrity and one allegation of bringing discredit on the police service have been proved.

"The officer had been suspended from duty and now has 14 days to ask for the chief constable (Michael Todd) to review the findings.
"Due to the possibility of a review of the findings, GMP is unable to comment further."

Inspector Singh was originally arrested in the small hours of 1 November 2005 at the start of the Diwali festival. Investigating officers had gained access to his bank account and wanted to know why sums of money had been moved in and out.

Inspector Singh revealed he was a member of a traditional Asian 'kamette' club involving a group of individuals paying regular amounts of money into a central fund and each taking turns to draw cash out for their own use.

The Crown Prosecution Service decided not to prosecute Mr Singh for money laundering but the internal police investigation into his conduct continued.

Mr Singh's supporters claim that a trawl of his record was then launched to justify the investigation and suspension

The November arrest took place 10 days before Mr Singh was to take the last stage of a Home Office scheme which would have allowed him to reach the rank of superintendent. This suspension prevented his attendance.

Up until his suspension Mr Singh had an outstandingly successful career in GMP. A high point was when he was chosen to greet Tony Blair when he visited GMP headquarters.

He joined the force in 1989 and served as a PC in south Manchester becoming the first officers to wear a turban on duty in the north.
After six years on the beat he became one of the youngest sergeants in the force.

A year later he joined the CID and was appointed head of the family support unit investigating suspicious child deaths, child abuse and domestic violence.

On being promoted to inspector he became the force's local authority liaison officer working with the city council on campaigns to reduce crime.

He was awarded the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal for his services to the force.

As we went to press Mr Singh was unavailable for comment on his suspension