Olivia Pinkney of Hampshire Police says her force s lack of diversity is not ok
The Chief constable of the force where five officers have been sacked for abhorrent racist language says the police s lack of diversity is not ok .
Olivia Pinkney of Hampshire Police said she is very aware her senior leadership team team look the way they do and admitted she is concerned by the overall whiteness of the force.
The highest ranking officer from a minority background in the county is a chief inspector.
She said: [It] is a concern. If we look at the Chief Officer group of this constabulary, we are half female and have all sorts of other diverse characteristics - but we are all white.
A “TOXIC and abhorrent” specialist police unit named part of its office ‘African corner’, a misconduct hearing has heard. Hampshire Constabulary’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) North had placed a map of the continent on a whiteboard where two officers of African heritage sat. The nickname was made when the team were based in Whitchurch, before it moved to the Northern Police Investigation Centre, based in Basingstoke. Detective Sergeant Greg Willcox said that he thought it was “to reflect their background or culture” and considered it a “positive” association. The two officers subject to the nickname were Detective Constable Sol Koranteng - who is not accused as part of the case – and former PC Craig Bannerman, who faces misconduct charges.
Olivia Pinkney, photographed at Hampshire Police headquarters, Netley. MEMBERS of a ‘toxic’ police unit who were sacked after covert recordings caught a catalogue of racist, sexist and homophobic remarks have been criticised for their “outdated and offensive views”. Police chiefs have welcomed a decision to dismiss three members of Hampshire Constabulary’s Serious Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) based at the Northern Police Investigation Centre, in Basingstoke. Detective Sergeant Oliver Lage, Detective Sergeant Gregory Willcox and PC James Oldfield have been discharged from the constabulary without notice. Retired Detective Inspector Tim Ireson and former PC Craig Bannerman would have been dismissed if they had not already left the service. The sixth officer, PC Andrew Ferguson was given a final written warning.
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.