• Home /
• Statewatch Database /
• Metropolitan police found guilty of victimisation

Metropolitan police found guilty of victimisation

01 January 1991

Metropolitan police found guilty of victimisation
artdoc July=1991

The Metropolitan police have been found guilty of racial
discrimination against a black police officer. The Ashford
Industrial Tribunal ruled that PC William Halliday was
victimised, but not unlawfully discriminated against after he
complained of racial harassment and abuse to the Commission
for Racial Equality.
In April 1989 almost immediately after Halliday
complained of racist remarks made against him by white
officers at the Orpington Police Station, he was taken from
his patrol car duties and relegated to a desk job. Commenting
on his demotion, PC Halliday said, `It's not any great wonder
they don't get many complaints about supervisory officers if
the first thing they do is move the person complaining.'
The Tribunal found that the Orpington police had
contravened the 1976 Race Relations Act by transferring
Halliday to a desk job. The tribunal, however, did not find
the racial epithets used by officers to be offensive enough to
be considered unlawful discrimination.(Asian Times 4.12.90;
Caribbean Times 11.12.90. Wolverhampton Express and Star
29.11.90; Police Review 7.12.90)

IRR Police-Media Bulletin no 66. Institute of Race Relations,
2-6 Leeke Street, London WC1X 9HS