Met Police Cleared After Race Stop Row in Croydon
The Metropolitan Police have slammed claims of racial profiling after a black officer was stopped by colleagues in Croydon.
Internal Complaint Sparks Probe
On Sunday, 24 May, the Met received an internal complaint over a vehicle stop that happened the day before. A serving black officer was pulled over by police on Saturday, 23 May 2020. He claimed the stop was down to racial profiling.
Review Finds No Wrongdoing
The Met’s Professional Standards Unit launched an investigation. They found the vehicle had been followed over concerns of speeding through a traffic light. Body-worn video footage cleared the officers who stopped the car. It showed they explained their reasons clearly and acted professionally.
Commander Hits Back at Racism Claims
Commander Alison Heydari said: “The review found no evidence at all of racial profiling. To call these officers ‘clearly racist’ or ‘two active racists’ is wholly unfair.”
“They were simply doing their job in a polite and professional manner. All officers involved, including the complainant, are being supported.”
Met Pledges Transparency and Tough Action if Needed
The stopped officer faced no action. The Met stressed how important public trust is and promised rigorous checks on all complaints about staff conduct.
“Any breach of professional standards will be met with robust disciplinary action. We learn lessons from every case,” said the force.
