West Midlands Police Federation Chairman Suspended Following “Nonsense” Racism Comment

The individual serving as chairman for the West Midlands Police Federation has been suspended following his dismissal of racism allegations within the force as “nonsense”. Richard Cooke’s remarks were posted on social media subsequent to a former chief inspector’s assertion of prevalent racism and homophobia within the organization. The Police Federation of England and Wales stated on Thursday that it had received numerous complaints regarding his social media post and was conducting an inquiry. By Friday, the federation verified to BBC News that Mr Cooke had been relieved of his duties while an investigation is underway. The BBC has sought a comment from Mr Cooke. Khizra Bano, a former officer, brought forth these allegations on 5 December, stating that racist conduct was occurring on a “huge scale”. Among the examples she provided, gathered from forums she organized within the force, were instances such as a homosexual colleague’s sexuality being “outed” during a shift, with their manager reportedly stating “colleagues have a right to know”; racial slurs found graffitied in bath and shower rooms designated for force personnel only; and officers making statements like “black people all take drugs”. Ms. Bano is pursuing an employment tribunal against the force’s chief constable, Craig Guildford, regarding multiple claims, including discrimination, all of which Mr. Guildford refutes. Ms. Bano, who departed from the force earlier this year, asserted that the federation had not provided support for her situation. Subsequent to media reports concerning her claims, Mr. Cooke published a post on X, dismissing the notion of widespread racism as “nonsense”. Ms. Bano later informed the BBC that Mr. Cooke “needed reminding that black, brown, female, gay and disabled officers are all federation members too” and urged his resignation. Responding on Thursday, Mr. Cooke informed the BBC that he maintained his stance, further stating that neither he nor the federation acknowledged that characterization or the existence of a “gang culture” among personnel. He characterized Ms. Bano’s portrayal of the force as “irresponsible and misleading” and “needlessly damaging to public confidence in those we are proud to represent”. He also stated his intention to seek re-election as chairman in the upcoming months and confirmed he had no plans to resign. In a statement issued on Friday, the Police Federation of England and Wales, which serves as a representative body for rank-and-file officers, declared: “We can confirm that the chair of the West Midlands Federation Branch, Richard Cooke, has suspended from his duties as chair pending an investigation under the Police Federation’s rules. “An independent investigating officer has been appointed, and we hope that the matter can be brought to a timely conclusion.” Further updates from BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country are available on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC does not assume responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy can be found here.