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Analysis: Dizaei, a boycott and a sense of deja vu
Keith Dovkants06.10.08
There was an unsettling sense of déjà vu at Scotland Yard today following the decision by the Met's Black Police Association to call for a recruitment boycott. We have been here before, and in circumstances that give rise to serious concerns over the background to the current attempt to dissuade people from ethnic minorities to join the police.
In 2003, Ali Dizaei, an Iranianborn officer at the Yard, was acquitted at the old Bailey of corruption charges. After a multi-million-pound investigation and a long trial the case against him collapsed. As he walked free, the National Black Police Association, working closely with its equivalent at the Yard, threatened a recruitment boycott unless Mr Dizaei was immediately reinstated. Despite the fact he still faced disciplinary action, Mr Dizaei was swiftly invited back, paid £80,000 in compensation and recommended for promotion to commander.
It was a humiliating climbdown, but the then home Secretary David Blunkett and the Yard's hierarchy felt they had no defence against the black officers' ultimate weapon - a call on ethnic minorities to shun the force. Recruitment from ethnic minorities has long been seen as one of the most important initiatives in the drive towards a more inclusive and representative police service. Vast resources are spent on trying to bring in recruits. Their active discouragement by a body apparently designed to protect their best interests could hardly be contemplated.
Now it has happened. And the man whose name is being linked to it is Ali Dizaei.
Senior officers at the Yard have been expecting trouble for months. Tensions between the leadership and senior Asian officers over alleged discrimination in promotion led to high profile actions brought by a commander, Shabir hussain, and Assistant commissioner Tarique Ghaffur, the Met's most senior Muslim officer.
As the row became increasingly sulphurous, Mr Ghaffur was relieved of his duties.
Mr Dizaei, president of the National Black Police Association, closely advised both men. The turmoil over allegations of racial discrimination then took an unexpected turn. last month, Mr Dizaei - whom many considered untouchable after his old Bailey triumph - was suspended. his supporters immediately accused the Met of a "witch hunt" and claimed he was being targeted because he had been pushing Mr Ghaffur's case. But pressure was mounting on the Yard to do something about Mr Dizaei. he is under investigation on three matters. one concerns the alleged misuse of his police credit card, another his off-duty arrest of a man he said attacked him outside a café popular with Middle eastern clientele in west london. When officers investigated the affair they found ccTV evidence which, it is alleged, contradicted Mr Dizaei's claims. The matters were handed to the Independent Police complaints commission.
Then it was revealed that Mr Dizaei had been secretly employed by a solicitor to advise on how a man facing a charge of causing death by dangerous driving could escape conviction. The solicitor, it was disclosed, was Shahrokh Mireskandari, a close associate of Mr Dizaei, who had advised both him and Mr Ghaffur on racial discrimination matters.
Mr Dizaei's supporters say he has been victimised for his efforts to combat racism. his critics say he has used the race card to manipulate weak leadership. one thing is certain: his stature in the Black Police Association hierarchy means the recruitment boycott would never have happened without - at the very least - his support.
Reader views (7)
Black & asian officers are fast tracked in to top jobs not because of their skills,but because of their skin colour.Sounds racist to me, against the white officers who can do the job.Silly me,you can't be racist to a white british man according to this pathetic goverment.
- Phillip K, bedworth ENGLAND
The Black Police Association, which was always an anomaly, is well on the road to being defunct having been effectively hijacked by 'Dr' Ali Dizaei, (that scrupulously honest and upstanding senior officer!), for his own purposes. The BPA is a stunningly inefficient organisation, currently under investigation by the Home Office for the way in which it manages it finances. Indeed, one only has to look at its website, which makes no mention of current problems, is riddled with mis-spellings, and has barely been updated since 2007. Hopefully the new management at the Met and at City Hall, will take absolutely no notice of this increasingly irrelevant orgnization, which has even been disowned by the Metropolitan Association of Muslim Police.
- Exmetseniorofficer, London
i think the met is so bad they should sack every top ranking officer. the way they have treated all the black officers i think it is very poor, for a top city as London they should follow the examples of the USA where in most of the states black officers holds the top jobs and no one ever complains on how they got there, please take note England and you will learn
- Patrick, ilford
I say let them boycott the police force. I'd rather these ungrateful parasites didn't join, so then they can't possibly be fast-tracked into positions that they can't handle. And I certainly don't want these traitors running law and order in my country. That's the biggest worry of all.
- Dave, Leeds
This racsim complaint is getting worse, and now we have a TV show being aired tonight with a Black C/Constable adding his pennyworth. How can it be harder for non white officers to climb the promotion ladder when the ones that have speak out the way they are doing and have done? When entrance Police exams became easier for non white applicants than white applicants, what message did that send out. We are now in a position when a non white officer who fails to get promotion complains the system is built for them to do so whether it is justified or not. White officers do not have that right or ability.
A Police Officer is a Police Officer irrespective of colour or religions, and it`s about time it was remembered and people forgot about internal bickery and got on with the job and impressed the public for a change.
- Keithw, Wirral Merseyside
The time has come for the the Black police association to be made Ileagal all police officer should be protected by one police association.
- Dave Smith, Croydon
The BPA need to get out of politics, their actions seems suspicious in their intent I wonder if is it linked to the outstanding court cases of senior officers, you should get promoted if you are the best person for the job not just because you are white or from an ethnic backgound, the MET need to stand up to the BPA as they are politicaly motivated and trying to udermine the Metropolitan Police force as a whole.
- David Whitefoot, Oxford
