UK Tribunal: Police Undermined Black Woman Officer
LONDON (AP) — London's Metropolitan Police said Wednesday that it is disappointed by an employment tribunal's finding that the department discriminated against a black female officer because of her gender and race.
The tribunal said 35-year-old Carol Howard, a firearms officer in the Diplomatic Protection Group, had been "singled out and targeted" as a black woman.
Lawyer Kiran Daurka, who represents Howard, called the judgment "a damning indictment" of the police. She said police have failed to change discriminatory practices in the 15 years since the force was found to be "institutionally racist" by an official inquiry into its investigation of a notorious murder of a black teenager.
The tribunal also found that police investigators looking into Howard's case were asked to delete all references to sex and race discrimination in their file — a finding disputed by police.
The Metropolitan Police, also known as Scotland Yard, said in a statement it was disappointed by the tribunal's findings and would seek legal advice on the issue.
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(Photo: Sean Dempsey/AP Photo PA)