Met Police racism figures reveal 120 cases, one dismissal

The figures, which were obtained under the Freedom of Information act, come as the Metropolitan Police reveal that nine staff, including one civilian, have been suspended amid allegations of racism.

Ten cases have been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) and they include allegations of racist assaults in broad daylight as well as the racist abuse of prisoners behind closed doors.

The statistics come 13 years after the Macpherson Report, launched after the murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence, branded the force “institutionally racist”.

Channel 4 News can reveal that between 1999 and 2011:

• 120 police officers at the Metropolitan Police were found guilty of racist behaviour
• Of these, 21 received some kind of sanction, most commonly a fine
• Six were forced to resign
• Just one police officer of the 120 was dismissed

Read more: Stephen Lawrence murder timeline

The allegations emerge only a few days after the Met’s Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe vowed to get to the bottom of “very damaging” recordings of one officer apparently racially abusing a man and another allegedly assaulting a teenage boy last summer.

Mr Hogan-Howe said: “I will not stand for any racism or racists” as he described his “shock” over those allegations.

Leroy Logan, former chairman and spokesman for the Black Police Association, told Channel 4 News: “As professionals, we need to be setting a high standard.

“It needs to be looked at very carefully… how these issues and cases are being assessed by the CPS (Crown Prosecution Service) and IPCC.

“I don’t think they’ve been held to account as they should be.

“After the Stephen Lawrence streering group was disbanded, race was off the agenda.”

Meanwhile, in Ulster, the Police Service of Northern Ireland has confirmed it has suspended four officers amid allegations of the sending of racist and sectarian text messages.