Browse Sections
Interactive
Popular Sections
Spotty showersNews
Police trainers barred
24/ 9/2004
TWO lecturers at the police training school exposed in the
Secret Policeman documentary have been recommended for removal
after an investigation into racism there.
A report on the investigation urges the Independent Police
Complaints Commission to permanently bar one Greater Manchester
Police officer from training duties and order him to undergo
anti-racist training.
The report says the other officer, from the Lancashire
Constabulary, should be barred from training duties for three years
and also to undergo anti-racism training.
A third GMP trainer will remain in post but will also undergo
diversity training.
In addition an entire class of police trainees who were at the
Bruche police college in Cheshire while the film was being made
have all received warning about racist attitudes and behaviour and
have undergone diversity training.
They were not caught on film behaving in a racist manner but senior
officers believe that they may have been affected by the racism
that characterised the out-of-classroom atmosphere among
trainees.
A further three officers from GMP's Cheadle Hulme station, where
the BBC's undercover reporter worked as a PC, will get warnings and
diversity training.
These moves are a result of senior officers at GMP viewing film
footage from the college and the Cheadle Hulme station not
broadcast in the BBC in the documentary.
The investigation was led by Chief Superintendent Donald Brown,
commander of the GMP's internal affairs branch charged with
investigating police disciplinary matters. The report finds the
trainers indulged in "unprofessional" behaviour rather than
racism.
One was shown in the Secret Policeman documentary announcing
ironically that the only Asian officer on the course had been
removed. This prompted loud cheering and jeers from white trainee
officers, a response that the training officer did nothing to
stop.
The report also recommends an overhaul of training methods at
Bruche and the GMP's own training college at Sedgeley Park,
Bury.
It says an area of particular concern at Brushe is the "social
side" of courses there.
Most of the damning evidence of racism was collected by the BBC
undercover reporter when he was mixing with police officers in the
evening after formal training. Police officers were caught on film
making violent racist remarks - one revealing he though he could
kill a "Paki" and another donning a mocked-up Ku Klux Klan
headdress.
As a result of the film 10 officers, six from GMP, two from north
Wales Police and two from the Cheshire Constabulary,
resigned.
Files on them were sent to the Crown Prosecution Service to see if
they could be charged with racists offences. But the CPS ruled
there was insufficient evidence for a successful prosecution.
Another three officers, one of whom boasted about non-racist
assault on un-broadcasted film footage, were also the subject of a
CPS report but the service ruled there was not enough evidence to
justify criminal proceedings.
The report concludes that: "Greater Manchester Police had attempted
over many years to robustly tackle the issue of racism and
misconduct within the service. The force is committed to fairly
representing the communities it services and will under no
circumstances tolerate racism or any other form of
discrimination."
Got an opinion you want to share?| Card | BT Fee |
| Virgin Credit Card | 2.98% |
| Capital One Low Rate Balance Transfer | 1.7% |
| Capital One Low Rate Platinum | HASH(0x11262e88) |
| Capital One Fixed Rate Card | 0.0% |
| Company | Typical APR |
| Platinum Exclusive Loan | 7.8% |
| Halifax (Semi-exclusive) | 8.6% |
| Bank of Scotland (Semi-exclusive) | 8.6% |
| Alliance & Leicester | 8.7% |
| Lloyds TSB | 8.9% |
| Provider | AER* |
|
ICICI BANK HiSAVE Savings Account |
5.50% |
|
PRINCIPALITY BS e-SAVER |
5.35% |
|
ANGLO IRISH BANK Easy Access Account Issue 2 |
5.25% |
|
FIRST DIRECT Everyday e-Saver |
2.75% |
|
ALLIANCE & LEICESTER Online Tracker |
4.75% |
|
BRADFORD & BINGLEY eSavings 6 |
4.60% |
|
SAINSBURYS FINANCE Internet Saver |
3.50% |
|
ALLIANCE & LEICESTER eSaver - Issue 2 |
5.00% |
|
POST OFFICE Instant Saver |
3.75% |