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'.
Comments
Login or Register to comment
I do not know whether or not this decision could be overturned but frankly I do not see why he couldn't also be charged internally with bringing the police into disrepute and dispensed with. Other than that it would be easy to use the time honoured path of checking all the jobs he attended ,pocket book and paperwork etc and get him on any misdemeanor available (normally neglect of duty). It won't be the first time this has occurred and to far more honest individuals than PC Mahmood.
typical of GMP
disgusting
I go out and arrest people daily. I have been spat at, called names, accused of being racist when I am not. I have dealt with people impartially and fairly.
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.
Quite right to. You just have to look at the comments posted on the original new release to guage not only the publics opinion but aslo 'PC you cannot touch me' colleagues. Mr Todd should overturn the panels decision, and discipline the panel for a total failure on their behalf.
REMEMBER THIS ???????????
manchester news
Email to a Friend | Your comments
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."
My understanding is that the other driver ran into the back of the officers car.
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
I am a serving police officer with GMP and I, like most of my colleagues are appalled by this decision.
Mahmood should never be allowed to serve the people of Greater Manchester again, he has let himself, his colleagues and the whole community down.
This man broke the law, and lied about it.how can he remain as a policeman?????
if he had been speeding or parking on a yellow line he had lost his job ??? ( if he had insur )
but with the way things are life is cheap ?? and the police say that thay are fair ?? with all drivers ?
Something about left hand and right hand as well as an organised drink at a brewery springs to mind.
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.
Can someone tell the council tax payers of greater manchester,what useful purpose Mahmood can now be following his conviction. How can he be involved in any active policing? His character would be pulled to bits at any court trial by a defence solicitor and he would be a liability in any investigation.I gather P.C. Mahmood earns around 30k a year. You taxpayers pay mahmoods wages from your hard earned money. Do you somehow feel robbed?
Yes, my confidence in the police has been shaken by this decision.There is no excuse for driving without insurance and driving away from a car crash.I cant believe this pc is allowed to return to work, he should have been sacked, what is going on?
Where's the justice in this country when a convicted criminal can keep his job in the Police Force and Post Office delivery woman Joanne Cyprus gets the sack for not wearing a cycle helmet ? Mr Todd should do the decent thing and resign at once. He has clearly lost control of his force and judging by the comments of his officers, their respect. Maybe Joanne should think of some excuse for her atrocious crime, similar to PC Tariq Mahmood's mitigation. She could for instance refer to the death of some relation many years ago and how the extra weight of wearing a cycle helmet caused her chronic back problems. Go now Mr Todd, GMP is the laughing stock of the world with this ludicrous decision to keep this man employed as a police officer.
The Proudest day of my life was joining the force.
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.
It is a prime example of preferential treatment for Ethnic Minorities, which is happening in every sector of English life. This week in London
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.