Former Inspector Alleges Daily Presence of Racist Officers in West Midlands Police

A former chief inspector has asserted that widespread racism and homophobia are prevalent within West Midlands Police, and that the force failed to address numerous serious allegations. Khizra Bano reported that personnel described racist conduct occurring on a “huge scale,” citing instances such as officers requesting a black colleague perform a “tribal dance” and, following a terror attack, telling an Asian colleague: “Your mates have been at it again.” Ms Bano, who is pursuing an employment tribunal against the force’s Chief Constable Craig Guildford, asserted that racist officers were deployed on front-line duties daily. The force responded by stating it had achieved considerable progress in “rooting out” improper behaviour and would contest any unjust claims of discrimination. Ms Bano expressed her belief that she was marginalized subsequent to her support for former firearms officer Det Insp Rebecca Kalam, who prevailed in an employment tribunal in January. The force refutes this assertion. Ms Bano retired this year, attributing her departure to mental health deterioration caused by her experiences, and further alleged that commanders largely refrained from condemning racism within the force to avoid upsetting white male officers. Ms Bano further stated: “The racism of police officers is a threat to public safety and it is the duty of police officers to mitigate against that threat.” The force denies that the chief constable’s actions negatively impacted Ms Bano’s health, and has requested her to provide evidence of injury or loss pertinent to her claims. Acting Deputy Chief Constable Claire Bell commented: “There is no place for discriminatory attitudes in policing.“Officers are more confident and better supported to make internal reports, and we are getting better at disciplining and dismissing officers who engage in discriminatory behaviour, or otherwise breach our high professional standards.” Ms Bano’s allegations emerged subsequent to her establishment of a project named Brave Spaces in September 2020, which she initiated in response to what she perceived as increasing polarization within the force following the murder of George Floyd. Mr Floyd, an unarmed African American man, was killed in the America in 2020 after being restrained by police officer Derek Chauvin, who was subsequently convicted of his murder. This incident triggered protests globally. Brave Spaces provided a platform for officers and staff to share their experiences of racism, homophobia, and sexism, with their testimonies being forwarded to senior managers and the force’s diversity and inclusion board. The allegations encompassed: Ms Bano stated that she endeavored to modify behaviour, but her recommendations were never put into practice. She noted that, over a period of three years, one beneficial result was the provision of additional scrutiny for black men taken into custody. In instances where force was employed during an arrest, footage from officers’ body-worn cameras underwent review to ascertain if their conduct was proportional. Discoveries of disproportionate force subsequently initiated a professional standards referral by the force. A force spokesperson indicated that instructions for the Brave Spaces sessions stipulated that language considered to violate conduct guidelines was unacceptable and would be addressed. In August 2022, approximately two years after the establishment of Brave Spaces, then Det Insp Kalam sought Ms Bano’s assistance for her tribunal. Mrs Kalam subsequently successfully litigated against the force concerning allegations of sex discrimination, harassment, and victimisation, receiving an award of £820,720 in January, having retired on medical grounds in July 2023. Ms Bano provided support to Mrs Kalam by communicating with senior officers regarding her case, but claimed that “ranks started to close.” She identified this as the pivotal moment in her own treatment, as senior officers ceased responding to her. Conversely, the force stated that, by this juncture, Mrs Kalam’s grievance had already undergone a detailed investigation and report. Ms Bano asserts that support for Brave Spaces was subsequently retracted, with the final forum convening on 8 March 2023. Ms Bano recounted a meeting she attended with another officer and the chief constable, after the officer had requested her presence during the discussions. The police stated that the officer had asked her to be present because he [wrongly] believed he might be “in trouble.” Nevertheless, Ms Bano stated that during the meeting, Mr Guildford instructed her to leave the room and did not offer to shake her hand. Mr Guildford, however, maintains he did shake her hand, explaining that her departure was requested because the meeting was not a disciplinary hearing, thus rendering support for the involved officer unnecessary. She further claimed he repeatedly inquired of her male colleague: “Is she a police officer?” Ms Bano noted other instances in her career where she felt her rank was not acknowledged, but remarked: “When the chief constable did it, it felt different.” She conceded that she informed Mr Guildford he possessed a reputation for being a bully. She alleged that Mr Guildford stated, “I’ve just learned you are an autistic person,” and subsequently declined to meet with her unless she was accompanied by a “police friend.” She added: “It is the most minimising thing that anyone had said to me.” Consequent to her conduct in this meeting, Mr Guildford proposed that she should bring a fellow employee for support at future meetings, a suggestion not considered unusual given the circumstances. West Midlands Police (WMP) stated that Ms Bano was not in uniform during the meeting and had not previously met Mr Guildford, and that he did not anticipate her presence, thus not recognizing her. The force asserted that Mr Guildford had clarified there was no requirement for her to attend the meeting, after which she reportedly shouted at him, declared he had no right to request her departure, stated his office was West Midlands Police property, accused him of being a bully, and made a personally insulting comment. The police indicate that, based on Mr Guildford’s account of her behaviour and having been informed of her autism, he recommended that she bring a fellow member of staff for support at subsequent meetings. Tribunal records reveal that Mr Guildford later filed a complaint against Ms Bano, alleging she had been “hostile and disrespectful.” She remained under investigation for a period of eight months before investigators concluded there was no case to answer, citing medical grounds. The force additionally stated there was a two-month delay in securing a statement from the officer Ms Bano had been supporting, but maintained that the investigation was, despite this, reasonably prompt. Ms Bano now expresses concern that the events involving her and Mrs Kalam have established a perilous precedent for the force, conveying a message that officers should remain silent regarding misconduct. She remarked: “Whistleblowers are crushed in the organisation. It’s about silencing truth-tellers.” She indicated that the decision to conclude her career was difficult, having applied for ill health retirement in 2023 before her departure this year. She stated: “I thought I would be buried in my uniform, I loved my job.” Ms Bano’s tribunal, scheduled for October 2025, encompasses claims of victimisation, detriment due to protected disclosure, discrimination stemming from disability, and harassment related to disability. Mr Guildford refutes all the allegations. Ms Bano stated her desire to “fix the bad things,” further adding that every day “racist police officers are on front-line duty, dealing with the public.” She now seeks an apology and a pledge from the force to implement her Brave Spaces recommendations to achieve genuine organizational change. Prior to the tribunal next year, Ms Bell commented that Ms Bano had employed sensational language and that other claims of sex and race discrimination had been either dismissed by the tribunal or withdrawn. Claims pertaining to detriment and disability discrimination are currently being addressed. Mukund Krishna, the chief executive of the Police Federation, stated that such issues have no place in society and affirmed their commitment to providing full support to their members. He added: “We will do what we can do and should do to continue supporting Khizra.” He further remarked that it was appalling such issues persist in the current era.