Chief Insp Andy George, who is under investigation for tweets about the Met Police Commissioner, said the police disciplinary systems was being used to ‘silence those who speak out’
The leader of Britain’s Black and Asian cops has been put under investigation after publicly raising concerns about racism in the police.
Chief Insp Andy George was issued with a misconduct notice over tweets criticising the Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, following a BBC undercover investigation that revealed racism and misogyny in the force.
Mr George, the president of the National Black Police Association, said the disciplinary system was being used as a “mechanism to silence those who speak out”.
He said: “This reflects a wider pattern in which minority voices are marginalised and attempts are made to control the narrative around policing rather than address legitimate concerns.” October’s Panorama programme showed officers at Charing Cross police station calling for immigrants to be shot, revelling in the use of force, and being dismissive of rape claims.
Mr George later shared a BBC article on X about a letter Sir Mark had sent the Home Secretary in response to the scandal. He tweeted: “How many platitudes and excuses can we hear from the commissioner?”
A day later he posted a second message after Sir Mark said he would not resign, claiming it was “the misogynists and racists, frankly, who want me out, because it’s them who we’re taking on”. Mr George wrote: “@Metpolice commissioner has empowered toxic culture and it is laughable for him to suggest it is racists and misogynists who want him out. He has pushed back on accountability and refused to allow @Casey_Review to return for the two year review”.
The 2023 report by Baroness Louise Casey found women and children had been failed by the Met with racism, misogyny, and homophobia at the heart of the force. A discipline notice said that Mr George was accused of bringing “discredit to the Police Service” and had “failed to act with fairness, self-control and impartiality”.
The decision to place him under investigation was made by the force he works for, the Police Service of Northern Ireland, following a complaint by a member of the public.
Mr George said: “I believe I am being unfairly targeted, and that the misconduct system is being used as a mechanism to silence those who speak out. The National Black Police Association has always acted responsibly, proportionately, and with a commitment to fairness in policing. It is our duty to challenge injustice when our members experience discrimination or unfair treatment.
“The evidence consistently shows that the misconduct system operates in a way that disproportionately impacts Black and minority ethnic officers and staff. That is not a perception problem; it is a structural one, and it demands scrutiny, transparency, and reform.”
Mr George said he had previously been subjected to five disciplinary investigations. He said he was recently cleared of misconduct after being probed over a tweet that followed the case of the firearms officer Martyn Blake, who was found not guilty of murder by a jury after shooting dead Chris Kaba.
Mr Blake was later promoted. The police watchdog has recommended he face a hearing for alleged gross misconduct. Mr George retweeted an article published by MailOnline about the promotion of Mr Blake.
Mr George, himself a former firearms officer, then tweeted: “Regardless of your feelings on the case, this will come as a slap in the face to the disproportionate number of Black officers under investigation for misconduct and being held back in their own careers! No doubt an impact on Black Londoners as well.”
The review of Baroness Casey’s report was supposed to have begun earlier this year but has been delayed. The PSNI declined to comment.
