Police recruits resign after TV exposes racists
By John Steele, Crime Correspondent

Five of the eight police officers identified by a BBC television investigation into racism in the ranks resigned yesterday, while the others were suspended from duty.

Senior officers said they were "sickened" by the racism among recruits at a training centre which was unearthed in the documentary The Secret Policeman. The officers served in the Greater Manchester, North Wales and Cheshire forces. Inquiries have been launched into whether they committed criminal offences. The three who remain as officers may face discipline charges.

The documentary has caused dismay throughout the police service, dragging it back into the debate about "institutional racism" sparked four years ago by the Macpherson inquiry into the Stephen Lawrence murder case.

The worst behaviour captured on the film, shown on Tuesday night, was that of Pc Rob Pulling, of the North Wales force. He was recorded saying that Stephen Lawrence "deserved it," describing his parents as "spongers" and proclaiming that the murder suspects should have "diplomatic immunity".

Pulling, who was based in Rhyl and resigned yesterday, admitted an unprovoked violent attack on an Asian man. He also placed a white pillowcase over his head and pretended to be a member of the Ku Klux Klan, and said he would bury an Asian under a train track.

Stephen Lawrence's mother, Doreen, said last night that she felt "numb" after watching the documentary. "It was quite a shock to know that after all this time people still held those views."


The acting deputy chief constable of North Wales Police, Clive Wolfendale, said the force would apologise to the Lawrence family for Pulling's "obscene" comments.

He added: "I felt physically sick as I watched The Secret Policeman." Pulling has shamed his colleagues, his uniform and his service."

One of those officers now suspended was recorded as saying that the Metropolitan Police was "the worst" for racism. The Met has spent millions on race training since Macpherson.

Yesterday, the Metropolitan Commissioner, Sir John Stevens, said he was "absolutely appalled" by the programme, in which a reporter - Mark Daly, 28, - went undercover as a recruit in Greater Manchester Police.

Sir John said: "I have been a policeman for 41 years at the sharp end and I was absolutely astonished at that behaviour. I have never heard that type of conduct or behaviour and that type of racism. Disciplinary measures should be considered but also criminal prosecution."

The assistant chief constable of Greater Manchester Police, Alan Green, said the force expected to take further action once it received extra material from the BBC. His counterpart in Cheshire, David Green, said the racist conduct shown in the programme was "abhorrent".

Mr Daly spent seven months with Greater Manchester Police at the Bruche National Training Centre, in Warrington, Cheshire. He was arrested on suspicion of obtaining a pecuniary advantage - his salary - by deception and is on police bail. The BBC says it placed his salary in a separate account to be repaid to the force and stoutly defends its tactics on the grounds of public interest.

The eight officers named in the programme were Pulling and Keith Cheshire, of North Wales Police, Pcs Andy Hall, Carl Jones, Tony Lewin and Adrian Harrison, of Greater Manchester Police, and Pc Steve Salkeld of the Cheshire force. They were all recruits alongside Mr Daly.

Pc Andy Turley, an officer at Greater Manchester Police for two and a half years, was also identified. Pcs Hall, Turley and Cheshire are suspended. The others have resigned.

In the programme, Mr Daly said the majority of officers he dealt with were not racist.