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Step down, colleagues tell Asian officer accusing Met chief of racism
Evening Standard 29 Aug 2008
Race-row police chief Tarique Ghaffur is facing a rebellion from fellow officers and increasing calls to step aside from his role at the top of Scotland Yard.
Britain's most senior Asian police officer was accused today of damaging the fight against crime in London after denouncing Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair as a racist.
Colleagues of the Assistant Commissioner said his war of words against his boss was making it almost impossible to work alongside him in the battle against crime.
Mr Ghaffur, 53, has launched a race discrimination claim against the Met, saying that he had been repeatedly discriminated against and undermined by Sir Ian.
He is demanding a public apology and an extension to his contract, blaming the Commissioner for sidelining him in his role leading security for London's 2012 Olympic Games.
Speaking for the first time on the issue at a press conference yesterday-Mr Ghaffur said his employment tribunal claim would include accusations of racial and religious discrimination.
He said that he was harassed by Sir Ian and another senior Yard officer, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Richard Bryant, that he was excluded from key meetings and was criticised for his language skills in a way that amounted to racial discrimination.
Deputy Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson said the force would "robustly challenge" the claims. He urged Mr Ghaffur to "shut up" and stop speaking publicly about the dispute.
A number of other senior colleagues now believe that it is almost impossible to work alongside Mr Ghaffur.
One high-ranking source said: "There has been a complete breakdown in trust. To call your boss a racist and then expect to carry on as normal is ridiculous. It is almost on a level of calling him a paedophile. It is a terrible insult.
"This is completely distracting at a time when kids are killing each other and violent crime among young people is exploding. The situation is a disgrace and cannot possibly go on.
"He ought to take the decision to stand aside. Tarique has been badly advised."
Len Duvall, the chairman of the Metropolitan Police Authority, told the Evening Standard that he also believed Mr Ghaffur should step aside until his legal case was concluded.
He said: "He should not be part of the management board while this continues. The board of senior officers should be focusing on policing London and protecting Londoners and not focusing on themselves.
"He should step down now. Everything should be about protecting people in London."
Lawyers are examining whether Mr Ghaffur can be put on "gardening leave" or suspended pending the outcome of his tribunal claim.
They are believed to have advised the Metropolitan Police Authority, which oversees the running of the force, that such a move could lead to the Assistant Commissioner bringing a fresh claim for victimisation.
Mr Ghaffur, who earns £180,000 a year, is claiming that he has been undermined as head of central operations at the Yard and that actions by Sir Ian led to the Home Office removing him from his role as overall head of Olympics security.
Alfred John, chairman of the Met's Black Police Association, said that Mr Ghaffur's case was "not an isolated incident".
Sir Ian, who has rejected the claims against him, has said that he has a "long, honourable and occasionally blood-stained record on the championing of diversity".
Reader views (12)
I have all my life lived in large multicultural areas. London west London first.
Yes the Met in my youth were racist, but I've had the joy of watching this being cleared.
In my youth, more than half a century ago, no you wouldn't have seen a black policeman. There was plenty of well educated young black men and women who could of done the job. As there have always been. So I think it's great that there are so many in the Met now, and where the Met starts, others follow.
But then you get one senior officer, of great standing, suddenly make these appalling claims. All he is going to do is spoil it for others who felt they could climb the promotional ladder. People will worry that once he/she gets to a certain level,as they are capable of, that they to may make these claims.
I know this may sound stupid, but I so hope it is found that he has found the job he is in, is too much for him. That he is having some kind of mental breakdown.
But please could someone explain to me, why the black police union. There would be much outcry if it was decided that there should be a white one. Are they not being racist also?
- Pat G, Slough, Berkshire, 06/09/2008 04:50
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It is a very sad situation when law enforcers bicker among themselves like this. Discrimination -like slurs or little insults among fellow workers of different cultural background do and often happen. But, I this case these are people who should be able to resolve these in more elegant manner as they have the training and the discipline and relevant experience.
- Rizal J Maris, Jakarta, Indonesia, 01/09/2008 06:58
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The Peter Principle states that in a hierarchy a person will rise to their own level of incompetence. We are therefore ruled by square pegs in round holes who were promoted from a job they could competently do to a job they can not. There they will stay being useless. This is true in all types of employment... think about it.
- Disgusted Tonbridge Wells, Edison usa, 01/09/2008 05:58
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Peter Haldane, how totally and utterly true and is the same in all government offices and industry.
- Marion Hughes, London, 29/08/2008 15:03
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I hope this Asian police officer is not intimidated by Blair. I hope he sticks to his guns and brings down this nasty MET chief who has contributed nothing to London except the death under his watch of an innocent Brazilian man - a fact he was so disinterested in at the time that he went home for tea. Blair is an utter utter disgrace to the police.
- Mikko Takala, Drumnadrochit, Scotland, 29/08/2008 13:53
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Maybe he wants Ian Blair's job. I don't know what he's moaning about. It seems to me that discrimination HAS been at work here. Positive discrimination to the benefit of this ungrateful creature. What an opinion he has of himself ! Unfortunately by his behaviour he is demonstrating that he should never have been promoted to his current position.
- Ettie, Ayr Scotland, 29/08/2008 13:47
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Mr Ghaffur does NOT earn £180,000 a year, he is PAID £180K. There is a world of difference as far as I am concerned. He's certainly not earning anything in loyalty. And being called a racist is nothing like being called a paedophile, at least not outside the rarified PC climes of the Met. Anyone and everyone is accused of being racist these days, as long as they're white.
- Squiz, Islington, 29/08/2008 13:44
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It is outrageous that this man presents himself in full uniform to the media to criticise his employers. It sounds to me like sour grapes - he did not have his contract extended and therefore would not be in post in 2012 and so was removed from the Olympic Security team. What is wrong with that? He now hopes to remain as part of the management team that he seeks to criticise. It sounds to me that this man was promoted beyond his capabilities as it has been reported that other Chief Officers were critical of his skills. And so, he will receive his large pension and will probably not get another job with such remuneration. What better way to bring in some extra cash - sue for discrimination etc. Oh yes - we taxpayers will have to foot the bill. I find it offensive in the days of Human Rights and PC regulations that a Black Officers association exists. Of all Met Commissioners, Ian Blair has been criticised for his over emphasis on diversity. No one will convince me that he has been racist to Mr Ghaffur. I would presume that Mr Ghaffur was promoted in the interests of diversity and noone has been brave enough to tell him that he was going no further. I hope the Met strongly challenge the claim and that until it is heard, Mr Ghaffur is removed from his post. It is also time that public officials who have grievances are not permitted to discuss them whilst in post or pending the outcome of proceedings. By doing so, any genuinely held grievance is diminished.
- Jane, Lincoln, 29/08/2008 13:28
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This bloke would be a waste of taxpayers money whatever colour he was.
Stop wasting my money and bringing the Police into disrepute and resign!
- Steve, london, 29/08/2008 12:59
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I'd comment if it wasn't for the fear of being sued.
- Bob, Cheam, 29/08/2008 12:46
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It doesn't look good from the outside does it? I mean this chap has got to Assistant Commissioner, if he had stayed with his force in Manchester they don't even have ranks that high!
If he truly does have a valid grievance then it should be aired thorough proper channels and the 6 o'clock news isn't one of them.
- Simon W, Guildford Surrey, 29/08/2008 12:42
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Isn't this all about the senior ranks of Police Services being more likely to be filled by managers rather than leaders? They were warned about this in the 1920s, by Trenchard I think, and most recently a few months ago by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary. Rather than identify leaders early in their careers and nurturing them through training, police forces are allowing apparently successful managers to rise to the top, and usually to one level above that of their competence. The results are as as we see them with senior police officers unable to counter ridiculous government demands for policing by 'target' rather than by common sense.
- Peter Haldane, London, 29/08/2008 11:38
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