Directed investigation into racist and misogynistic messages – West Yorkshire Police, September 2022

An investigation, carried out by West Yorkshire Police (WYP) under our direction, looked at messages sent and received by an officer who was based in Kirklees.

We received a referral from the force after a separate directed IOPC investigation found evidence of concerning phone messages between this officer and a colleague.

As part of the separate investigation, messages were obtained from the phone of a Detention Officer. He was sentenced earlier this year over offensive social media posts, including racist material. A disciplinary hearing subsequently found he would have been dismissed had he not already resigned.

The messages obtained from the phone showed a WhatsApp conversation between the detention officer and this officer which began before they joined WYP.

The evidence showed that even after becoming a police officer, he failed to challenge offensive messages containing racists comments and a joke about rape. He also sent messages referring to female colleagues that were considered misogynistic.

The messages also showed the officer was aware of the detention officer’s racist views prior to him joining the force. The officer failed to raise concerns about this once he became a WYP employee.

Upon receiving the investigator’s report, we determined the officer had a case to answer for gross misconduct in respect of alleged breaches of the police standards of professional behaviour regarding: authority, respect and courtesy; equality and diversity; discreditable conduct; and challenging and reporting improper conduct.

At a gross misconduct hearing, which concluded in November 2023, the officer admitted sending and responding to offensive messages, as well as his failure to report the messages he received.

The panel found the case proven at the level of gross misconduct and he was dismissed without notice. 

We carefully considered whether there were any learning opportunities arising from the investigation. We make learning recommendations to improve policing and public confidence in the police complaints system and prevent a recurrence of similar incidents.

In this case, we did not identify organisational learning.