News: Customer Service/Care
Met commissioner: Racial discrimination would be 'extraordinary aberration'
11 July 2008
The importance of training in the areas of discrimination and equal opportunities has been highlighted by Metropolitan police commissioner Sir Ian Blair.
Sir Ian hit back at allegations this week that he blocked the promotion of Commander Shabir Hussain, an ethnic minority officer, on racial grounds.
"In speech after speech I have made clear the operational necessity of diversity in policing and have referred repeatedly to my belief that we have to make the Met look like London," the commissioner told Commander Hussain's employment tribunal in Stratford.
He continued: "It is inconceivable that I would seek to block the promotion of a senior minority ethnic officer and any suggestion to that effect would be seen as an extraordinary aberration."
Sir Ian maintains the Asian officer was not promoted to deputy assistant commissioner because more able candidates were put forward for the position, although he admits losing his temper and raising his voice at him during a separate meeting.
Mr Hussain, the second most senior ethnic minority officer in the Metropolitan police, is suing the Metropolitan police authority for both race discrimination and unlawful deduction of wages. 
