The head of the Metropolitan Police Federation is taking legal action against his own union, with the support of the Free Speech Union, after he was “cancelled” for suggesting officers were increasingly nervous about challenging people from some ethnic minorities.
Rick Prior, who represents 30,000 rank-and-file officers across London, was suspended as chairman in October over comments he made during a GB News interview. The Telegraph has the story.
In an interview with GB News, Mr Prior said: “There’s a striking crisis of confidence at the moment within policing in general, and certainly within the Met police, whereby officers are withdrawing from any kind of proactive policing for fear of falling foul of the IOPC [Independent Office of Police Conduct] or a vexatious or malicious complaint.”
Mr Prior said that there was growing unease among officers over using force, after high-profile incidents including a constable being convicted of assault after challenging a woman who refused to show a valid bus ticket.
The conviction was quashed on appeal, but Mr Prior said that such incidents were eroding the confidence of his members.
He explained: “There seems to be an assumption of racism right from the off, particularly when it’s a white officer and a member of the public from a minority ethnic community.
“And it almost seems as if the onus is then on the police officer to prove that the interaction wasn’t racist.”
The day after Mr Prior’s interview was broadcast, he was suspended by the federation for comments that were allegedly “discriminatory in nature”.
He was locked out of his email and IT system and told he was not allowed to speak to the press or make any comment on social media.
Mr Prior immediately referred himself to the Met’s department of professional standards, which swiftly concluded his comments did not amount to misconduct.
The suspension means Mr Prior is unable to stand in union elections which are due to take place next month.
Because it is his own union that has taken the action against him, it will not fund any legal advice or action in support of his defence.
With the backing of the Free Speech Union campaign group, Mr Prior is crowdsourcing to fund legal action against the federation and is seeking a judicial review of the legality of his suspension.
Worth reading in full.
Donate to Rick’s crowdfunder here.
