Racism in Met a "disease", says off-duty firefighter

An off-duty firefighter said "racism is like a disease" spread through the Met police, after his case of misconduct against three officers citing discriminatory treatment towards him was withdrawn by the Independent Police Complaints Commission after "procedural shortfalls" emerged.

Edric Kennedy-Macfoy claimed he was helping officers identify a teenager who had thrown a rock at a police van at an out-of-control party in 2011, when he was tasered and insulted. Firearms officer PC Mark Gatland was accused of using unreasonable force, and firing his taser without warning, his only motivation being racial discrimination, and his colleagues PC Daniel Roberts from Westminster Borough, and Insp Sutinderjit Mahil, Ealing, were accused of using abusive and offensive language of a racist nature.

After receiving an apology from the IPCC, he said he thought "racism is like a disease within the Met Police and can only be rooted out from within. I just think if this could happen to me it could happen to anyone. Police can do whatever they like and get away with it."

He added, "I know it still happens but I live a good lifestyle. I'm of good character, I'm a fire fighter. I've never been in trouble with the police." Kennedy-Macfoy said he saw being a firefighter as a job for life, but that this was no longer the case because he could not trust the Met, an organisation which the fire brigade works with closely. The IPCC chose to withdraw the case because it believes "further delays are not acceptable, given the time since the original incident." A spokeswoman said, "We recognise the effect this will have had on both Mr Kennedy-Macfoy and the officers involved, and would like to take this opportunity to apologise to them."

The Metropolitan Police released a statement saying, "We fully recognise that the misconduct hearing not going ahead is damaging for the complainant and for the public who need to have confidence in the way officers are held to account for their actions. The MPS has previously apologised to Mr Kennedy-Macfoy and regrets what he experienced that night." It added, "The three officers have had this investigation hanging over them for five years and PC Gatland was prevented from resigning. It is unsatisfactory for them that they have had not an opportunity to provide all their evidence as to their actions. Any allegation that officers have behaved in a racist way is treated really seriously by the MPS."

"It is important that such allegations are fully and properly investigated and if officers are found to have done wrong that they are held to account. After careful consideration of all the evidence available it is clear that there are conflicting accounts, and as such the case that was due to go before the misconduct panel was not as strong as previously thought."