FadeTheButcher
10-29-2004, 11:27 PM
http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3691327
By David Barrett, Home Affairs Correspondent, PA News
Police officers called for the head of the Government’s race watchdog to resign today after he accused them of being “uneducated, unenlightened and socially backward”.
Chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) Trevor Phillips also compared police officers to football hooligans and supporters of the far-right British National Party.
Police officers’ groups said the comments – in an article written by Mr Phillips in today’s Times newspaper – were particularly inappropriate because the CRE is currently carrying out an investigation into racism in the police service.
In the article, Mr Phillips said: “Most liberal-minded folk would like to think that since they are not hostile to people of a different race, racism is a disease of the uneducated, unenlightened and socially backward – football hooligans, British National Party supporters, policemen.”
President of the Police Superintendents’ Association Rick Naylor said: “To stereotype police officers in this way reveals what Mr Phillips expects his investigation to conclude.
“We have no confidence in Mr Phillips remaining as chairman of the CRE.
“We call on him to stand down.”
Mr Naylor added: “Police officers up and down the country are striving every day to eradicate racism, both within the service and by dealing with hate crimes on the street.”
President of the Association of Chief Police Officers Chris Fox said he had written to Mr Phillips seeking “clarification” of the outspoken remarks.
“Given that Trevor Phillips is chairman of the CRE and is conducting an independent inquiry into racism in the police service it would be extremely concerning to learn that these views are Mr Phillips’ own,” said Mr Fox.
“I have therefore written to him as a matter of urgency to seek clarification.”
A New Labour favourite, former TV presenter and producer Mr Phillips was Frank Dobson’s running mate in the London Mayoral elections in 2000.
He was appointed to the CRE top job in January 2003 on a £93,000 salary for a four-day week.
His predecessor Gurbux Singh quit with severance pay of £115,000 after being arrested and fined £500 for a drunken altercation with police following an England v India cricket match at Lord’s.
By David Barrett, Home Affairs Correspondent, PA News
Police officers called for the head of the Government’s race watchdog to resign today after he accused them of being “uneducated, unenlightened and socially backward”.
Chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) Trevor Phillips also compared police officers to football hooligans and supporters of the far-right British National Party.
Police officers’ groups said the comments – in an article written by Mr Phillips in today’s Times newspaper – were particularly inappropriate because the CRE is currently carrying out an investigation into racism in the police service.
In the article, Mr Phillips said: “Most liberal-minded folk would like to think that since they are not hostile to people of a different race, racism is a disease of the uneducated, unenlightened and socially backward – football hooligans, British National Party supporters, policemen.”
President of the Police Superintendents’ Association Rick Naylor said: “To stereotype police officers in this way reveals what Mr Phillips expects his investigation to conclude.
“We have no confidence in Mr Phillips remaining as chairman of the CRE.
“We call on him to stand down.”
Mr Naylor added: “Police officers up and down the country are striving every day to eradicate racism, both within the service and by dealing with hate crimes on the street.”
President of the Association of Chief Police Officers Chris Fox said he had written to Mr Phillips seeking “clarification” of the outspoken remarks.
“Given that Trevor Phillips is chairman of the CRE and is conducting an independent inquiry into racism in the police service it would be extremely concerning to learn that these views are Mr Phillips’ own,” said Mr Fox.
“I have therefore written to him as a matter of urgency to seek clarification.”
A New Labour favourite, former TV presenter and producer Mr Phillips was Frank Dobson’s running mate in the London Mayoral elections in 2000.
He was appointed to the CRE top job in January 2003 on a £93,000 salary for a four-day week.
His predecessor Gurbux Singh quit with severance pay of £115,000 after being arrested and fined £500 for a drunken altercation with police following an England v India cricket match at Lord’s.