A South African officer in a toxic specialist police unit became so caught up in the racist culture that he failed to say anything when his best friend was racially abused, a disciplinary hearing was told today.
PC Craig Bannerman was said to be extremely close to the only black officer in the squad, Detective Constable Solomon Koranteng, who was the target of numerous offensive comments.
But when a colleague began singing the Bob Marley song Buffalo Soldier at DC Koranteng and telling him he had been flown from Africa in a crate, PC Bannerman said nothing.
Six officers at Hampshire Constabulary s Serious Organised Crime Unit (Socu) were all found guilty of gross misconduct after they were recorded using racist, sexist and homophobic language.
Officers face sack after being recorded making abhorrent comments in toxic police unit iwradio.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from iwradio.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Detective Inspector Timothy Ireson (Credit: Solent News and Photo Agency) MEMBERS of police unit branded as “toxic” have been found guilty of gross misconduct after ‘offensive and disrespectful’ conversations were covertly recorders. The Northern Serious Organised Crime Unit s (SOCU) office, in Basingstoke, was bugged over a 24-day period in 2018 when homophobic, racist and sexist remarks were recorded. Six members have now been found guilty of gross misconduct following a lengthy misconduct hearing. Retired Detective Inspector Tim Ireson, Detective Sergeant Oliver Lage, Detective Sergeant Gregory Willcox, former PC Craig Bannerman, trainee Detective Constable Andrew Ferguson and PC James Oldfield are now facing sanctions.