Why rush to sack Britain’s top Black police officer ?

Ms Williams who was a high ranking police officer, has now been forced out of her job with immediate effect after being found guilty of possessing indecent images of a child. Despite her long service within the police force and her repeated insistence that she had not viewed the image, Ms Williams’ case was fast tracked. The Metropolitan Police Service were aware of Ms Williams’ current position of appealing against the conviction.

The decision to fast track Ms Williams’ case has been widely condemned by many within the BME community. The former chair of the Black Police Association Charitable trust and the Met Supt Leroy Logan expressed his deep concern in regards to the proceeding, in particularly not allowing her appeal to be heard before making a judgment.

Speaking to The Voice Newspaper, Logan stated that, “it’s a total tragedy” and that “it will make such a massive impact on community trust and confidence”. He went on to say that, “it would have a negative impact on the Metropolitan Police’s relationship with the black community and it’s recruitment of black officers”.

The speed of action against Ms Williams’ begs the question; ‘why rush to sack her?’ Was it easier and more convenient to do whilst she was a convicted individual? Once the appeal had been heard, surely natural justice could have dispensed then. However, with the appeal yet to conclude there is still the possibility of Ms Williams’ being successful and overturning the decision. Should this happen, Ms Williams would be expected to make a claim against the CPS and now probably the Metropolitan Police Service in regards to how she has been treated compared to other police officers of rank.

What we do know for sure, many in the black community feel that there is one rule for us and another rule for everyone else.

Rodney Reid