GREATER Manchester's police chief is to be called to account over a decision to allow an officer to keep his job after fleeing the scene of a car crash and trying to stage a cover-up.
PC Tariq Mahmood, 30, was convicted in court after he left two women and a child injured.
He later re-sprayed his car and tried to persuade his sister and girlfriend to say they had been driving.
Now chief constable Michael Todd has been asked to explain to the police authority why the officer, who was based at Bootle Street, was only fined a week's wages at an internal police disciplinary hearing and allowed to keep his job.
Mr Todd was not directly involved in the decision. An insider said: "The chief constable is appalled at the decision. There is no question that he is very upset about it."
Now Mr Todd has been asked to explain by the chairman of the police authority, Derek Osbaldestin, who has described the decision as "unusual".
Mr Osbaldestin said: "I was not party to the disciplinary hearing but from what I know it seems an unusual decision that seems to be at odds with the criminal court. I have suggested that the chief constable should make a statement at the next meeting about this."
The chairman has also taken legal advice to see whether the police authority has the power to overturn the decision.
But unless PC Mahmood appeals, the body would be unlikely to be able to intervene in an internal disciplinary hearing.
"We move 10 steps forward with excellent crime figures, but this decision is like moving 20 steps back again. It's very disappointing."
Mahmood, who joined Greater Manchester Police in 1994 as a special constable, was off duty when his red Alfa Romeo collided with a Peugeot 106 in Stamford Street East, Ashton under Lyne last October.
Despite the fact that two women and a child in the other car needed hospital treatment for minor injuries, PC Mahmood drove off at "high speed".
When he was caught he claimed he had not been thinking straight because he was traumatised by his mother's murder in Pakistan in 1999.
He was referred to a psychiatrist and has been on long-term sick leave suffering from depression, anxiety and chronic back problems.
Earlier this year, PC Mahmood was fined '575 by magistrates and banned from driving for a year after he admitted failing to stop after an accident, failing to report an accident and driving without insurance.
But a GMP disciplinary panel of senior police officers decided this month that he could keep his job. They fined him five days' pay - '425 - instead of the maximum 13 days'.
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Ex Policeman, Manchester (27/09/2004 at 17:07)
chris, middleton (27/09/2004 at 17:21)
disgusting
Steve Williams, Stockport (27/09/2004 at 20:00)
After facing flak for all these years I now see bosses on much money (3 x what I am on) who are too spineless to make the correct decision and sack this corrupt officer because they fear being accused of being racist.
Well it's only what we on the street have been accused of for years (especially after our former chief aid we all were!).
The people who should be dismissed from the service are the Senior Officers who were too scared and spineless to make the correct decision - and who were racist themselves in letting skin colour affect their judgement.
Mr Todd is right to be upset at the decision.
John, Stockport (27/09/2004 at 20:17)
Steve Williams, Stockport (27/09/2004 at 20:39)
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Friday, 14th November 2003
Police in new race storm
Nicola Dowling
THE police watchdog has been called in to the Greater Manchester force to study claims that officers from ethnic backgrounds are being given softer punishments.
The Police Complaints Authority visited GMP headquarters after Supt Peter Schofield - from the force's internal affairs department - contacted them with a dossier containing allegations that the "integrity of the force was at stake".
The officer, now on annual leave, is understood to have spoken out because he felt the department was under pressure from senior officers to be more lenient with ethnic minority officers than their white colleagues.
He cited around half-a-dozen examples, including the case of a black sergeant who escaped serious disciplinary action after he allegedly went to a football match while he should have been on duty. It is alleged the department's recommendation of serious punishment was overturned and the officer was simply moved from a police station in the city to south Manchester.
The allegations come soon after the BBC's Secret Policeman programme, in which undercover reporter Mark Daly joined GMP and filmed probationary officers from GMP, North Wales, and Cheshire displaying racist views.
The Police Complaints Authority is said to be taking the allegations extremely seriously and has appointed it's deputy chairman Wendy Towers to travel to Manchester to examine the "evidence", following an initial visit by lower-ranking members of staff.
Concern
Such a senior member of the PCA would not normally conduct investigations herself, but it was decided she should do it for "transparency" rather than leave it to staff who have worked with GMP before.
PCA chairman Sir Alistair Graham said: "I have spoken with the Chief Constable to express my concern about the allegations, which come from an experienced superintendent who we have knowledge of and have confidence in.
"I have arranged for my deputy to make a fact-finding visit to see if there is any substance in the allegations.
"I will then decide what further action needs to be taken.
"The allegations are that senior police officers are intervening to show a degree of leniency that would not happen to other officers.
"The key has to be that all officers, regardless of the colour of their skin or ethnic background, are treated equally."
Chairman of the Black and Asian Police Association, Charles Crichlow, said news of the dossier would divert attention away from the "real issue" of racism in the force.
Disappointed
"I refute the suggestion that ethnic minority officers are being given lighter penalties than white officers," he said. "Allegations like this could result in black and Asian officers finding it even more difficult to get a fair hearing."
Supt Martin Harding, former chairman of BAPA added: "I am very disappointed Supt Schofield has chosen to take this course of action. I have raised many examples where ethnic minority officers have been dealt with more severely than white officers.
"Home Office research has found that across the country, black officers are more likely to face disciplinary hearings and punishments are more severe than those for other officers."
A GMP spokesman said: "It is the right of any officer to highlight concerns they have about fairness and we encourage our staff to question our processes.
Assistant Chief Constable Ian Seabridge said he could not confirm specific details of the allegations, but said: "An officer has raised a number of issues and we are happy to discuss the details with the PCA."
Paul Kelly, of the Greater Manchester Police Federation, said: "We are wholly committed to fairness and believe everyone should be treated the same regardless of race, gender or sexuality."
Serving Officer, Manchester (27/09/2004 at 21:09)
It was a collision that took place at slow speed.
This is not what is being reported.
This, if it true does not excuse what he did but has a bearing on the magnitude of wrongdoing
A Pc, Manchester (27/09/2004 at 23:13)
Mahmood should never be allowed to serve the people of Greater Manchester again, he has let himself, his colleagues and the whole community down.
bob denton, Manchester (27/09/2004 at 23:59)
d,greenhalgh, manchester (28/09/2004 at 03:00)
but with the way things are life is cheap ?? and the police say that thay are fair ?? with all drivers ?
anon PC, Salford (28/09/2004 at 09:59)
The senior management of GMP are so out of touch with reality its frightening to think they are in such positions.
Never mind lofty pay rises..its time for a clear out and re think.Get back to basics..people who commit offences like this should consider themselves lucky to be walking the streets let alone wear a policemans uniform.This episode is an outright disgrace.
andy hall, west yorkshire (28/09/2004 at 16:27)
niki, manchester (29/09/2004 at 00:06)
Richard Everard, Hale Barns, Cheshire (29/09/2004 at 10:44)
morally human, manchester (04/10/2004 at 21:39)
The biggest dissapointment in my life was joining the force.
I am deflated.
There are many good cops out there but because a number are bad or difficult, managers place them in the 'too hard to deal with pile' to further their careers. It's the good ones that want to make a difference that suffer as they are obliging and are inevitably 'put on', kicking all the good out of them and leading to low morale and a desire for self preservation.
It's the poor public I feel for - what a sham.
Darren, Manchester (06/10/2004 at 14:57)
Pc Barry Falcone, 33, was forced to resign for allegedly making racist comments while of duty yet Pc Tariq Mahmood keeps his job it is political correctness gone mad.