UK: 12 officers disciplined over racism

[Oldbillplod]

Twelve police officers are to be disciplined following a BBC documentary which exposed racism among recruits.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) launched an investigation into the documentary, The Secret Policeman, which was screened in October 2003.

The IPCC said four officers who train recruits will receive written warnings, while seven constables and a sergeant will receive formal advice from a senior officer. None will be sacked.

Ten officers resigned after the programme was screened. Six police officers resigned from Greater Manchester Police, two from North Wales Police and two from Cheshire Constabulary.

The IPCC has also recommended changes to national training procedures. It has written to the Greater Manchester force and Centrex, the national police training organisation.

The Secret Policeman caused uproar after exposing racism among a number of trainee officers from forces in North Wales, Cheshire and Greater Manchester.

It was based on footage from undercover reporter Mark Daly, who posed as a recruit while armed with an array of hidden cameras.

He secretly filmed recruits at the Bruche National Training Centre in Warrington, Cheshire, which takes rookie officers from forces across the country.

The Glaswegian journalist spent seven months compiling a dossier of evidence, before being exposed and arrested.

The then Home Secretary David Blunkett described the footage as "horrendous", while the deputy chief constable of North Wales Police, Clive Wolfendale, said he felt "physically sick" watching i