Eight Greater Manchester Police officers suspended for racial discrimination | UK News

Eight Greater Manchester Police officers suspended for racial discrimination | UK News

Greater Manchester Police have suspended eight officers and placed another on restricted duty after a report was made about alleged racial discrimination.

Seven of the suspended officers are from the Bury district, and one is from Rochdale who was working in Bury at the time of the charges, police said.

The move follows the suspension of five officers and the restricted duty of two others, all from the Bury district, on July 17, GMP added.

Police have contacted the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) regarding both cases.

The IOPC is investigating the first report, but has reviewed and referred the second incident to GMP for investigation.

Chief Superintendent Mike Allen, GMP’s Head of Professional Standards, said: “The reports we have received are deeply concerning and I hope to reassure the Bury community, the general public and GMP staff that a full and thorough investigation is underway into these matters.”

GMP under pressure after damning report and viral video

The suspensions come as a policeman of the GMP is the subject of a criminal investigation after a video widely shared on social media showed a police officer kicking a man in the head at Manchester Airport.

There is no suggestion that the suspensions announced today are related to this incident.

Protests took place in Rochdale and central Manchester after the video was released, while the city’s mayor, Andy Burnham, urged people to “stand back” and allow authorities to carry out their investigations.

Learn more:
Footage shows moments before a man was kicked in the head
Mayor says incident in which police officer kicked man is ‘unclear’
What did GMP learn from the Baird study?

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

New video of chaos at Manchester Airport

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Man beaten by police officer

The video appeared after Damning report reveals GMP officers abuse their power – making illegal arrests, carrying out illegal and degrading strip searches, sometimes treating victims as perpetrators and traumatising people who have suffered sexual abuse or domestic violence.

The Baird inquiry was launched in response to a Sky News investigation into GMP’s treatment of three women in police custody.

However, the inquiry looked at problems at all but one police station in Greater Manchester.

Follow Sky News on WhatsApp
Follow Sky News on WhatsApp

Stay up to date with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

Press here