Bury police officers under investigation after racism allegations

Five officers have been suspended while two officers have been put on restricted duty, the force has confirmed.

Police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), has begun a probe following a referral from GMP regarding the reported conduct of the officers, who are alleged to “have engaged in conversations of a discriminatory nature”.

In a statement, the IOPC said that it “will investigate allegations that these officers openly engaged in conversations and either used, or failed to challenge, offensive language".

It added: “We began an independent investigation on Thursday, July 4, following a conduct referral from the force the day before.

"We are reviewing the available material and will notify the officers of their status in our investigation.”

A GMP spokesperson said: “We’ve suspended five officers and put two officers on restricted duties on the Bury district following a report made of racial discrimination.

“GMP has a zero tolerance on discriminatory behaviour from any of our officers and staff.

"We are deeply concerned by the allegations and will not hesitate to take any action necessary.

"The IOPC are independently investigating following our referral."  

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Bury Police Station on Dunster Road (Image: Google Maps)

IOPC regional director Catherine Bates said: “Officers are expected to maintain exemplary standards of conduct and professionalism.

“This type of behaviour has the potential to undermine the public’s confidence and trust in policing, in addition to the impact it has on officers who conduct themselves with integrity.

“We will conduct a thorough investigation to establish the evidence and ensure any discriminatory behaviour is dealt with appropriately.

“This does not necessarily mean conduct proceedings or criminal charges will follow and the status of all officers will remain under review throughout the investigation.”

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The announcement of the claims comes less than a week after the release of a damning report about how GMP treats women in custody by Dame Vera Baird, the former victims’ commissioner for England and Wales.

The report was prompted after three separate women accused Greater Manchester Police of unjustified strip searches after being arrested.

It found a "problematic culture" at GMP led to officers using the strip-searching of multiple women as "a weapon of control".

Chief Constable Stephen Watson apologised for the findings, and said the force would fully implement the recommendations from Dame Vera.