A Metropolitan Police inspector has been dismissed without notice after a misconduct hearing found that he had sent and received offensive and inappropriate WhatsApp messages over a period of several years.
Misconduct Findings
An independent panel, led by a senior police officer and a legally qualified misconduct expert, ruled that Inspector Charles Ehikioya had engaged in serious misconduct by sharing and failing to challenge discriminatory content.
The panel found that between 2017 and 2020, Inspector Ehikioya exchanged a significant number of inappropriate messages, memes, videos, and images with a now-dismissed police constable. These messages included:
- Pornographic material
- Scenes of violence
- Misogynistic content
Despite receiving similar material, Inspector Ehikioya did not challenge or report the offensive messages. Instead, when he expressed concern, it was only about the risk of being caught rather than the inappropriate nature of the messages themselves.
Commander Jason Prins, chair of the misconduct panel, stated:
“Inspector Ehikioya’s actions were intentional and deliberate. He would have been aware that his views were totally contrary to the principles and policies of the Metropolitan Police and the ethos of a modern police service.”
“The public would be shocked and appalled to find that a serving officer could hold and express such harmful, discriminatory, and derogatory views.”
The panel found that his conduct had seriously damaged public confidence in the Met Police and ruled that the only appropriate sanction was dismissal without notice.
Addressing Misconduct Concerns in the Met
The Met acknowledged the concerns over racial disproportionality in the misconduct system, particularly for Black and ethnic minority officers. However, they emphasized that in this specific case, no evidence suggested racial bias in the investigation or decision-making process.
The force confirmed that significant reforms are being introduced to address concerns around the fairness and transparency of the misconduct system.
Inspector Ehikioya’s dismissal marks another step in the Met’s efforts to restore public trust and eliminate inappropriate behavior among officers.
