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A group of police officers in Cambridgeshire were discovered to be involved in a WhatsApp group that contained disturbing content, including jokes about murder victims. The group, known as BDA, consisted of six officers from Cambridgeshire Police stationed in Peterborough, where over 40,000 messages were exchanged. These messages included inappropriate remarks about George Floyd and a domestic murder victim who was tragically kicked to death.
Five of the officers, including Sgt Connor Hall, Sgt Nathaniel Richards, and Sgt Kristian Lutz, resigned before facing misconduct hearings in August, while Insp Simon Berrill was dismissed following a hearing. The misconduct investigation uncovered that all the officers in the group made abusive and discriminatory comments towards colleagues and engaged in sharing inappropriate content that could discredit the police force. Had they still been in service, all officers would have faced immediate dismissal.
The shocking revelations in Cambridgeshire come on the heels of a recent BBC Panorama investigation exposing Metropolitan Police officers making derogatory remarks about immigrants, advocating for the use of excessive force, and showing disregard for rape allegations. The reprehensible behavior displayed by these officers highlights the pressing need for stringent measures to address misconduct and uphold accountability within law enforcement.
During Mr. Berrill’s hearing, it was disclosed that the offensive messages within the group included racist remarks about the French and Chinese, as well as mocking a colleague with autism. Mr. Berrill, who had been in the group for approximately two-and-a-half months and sent only 90 messages out of thousands, admitted to gross misconduct. Despite receiving two police commendations, Mr. Berrill did not resign like his peers and faced consequences for his actions.
In response to the misconduct hearings, Chief Constable Simon Megicks emphasized that there is no tolerance for racist, misogynistic, or abusive language within policing or society as a whole. Every officer is expected to adhere to the highest standards of behavior, and those who engage in inappropriate conduct will be held accountable for their actions. The incidents involving the Cambridgeshire officers serve as a stark reminder of the importance of maintaining integrity and ethical conduct within law enforcement agencies
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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