Police chair's comments breached standards - panel

Richard Cooke was suspended from his role as chairman in December

The chairman of West Midlands Police Federation has been found in breach of professional standards following complaints over his actions - including his suggestion that claims of racism in the force were "nonsense".

Richard Cooke was suspended in December after he made the comment, one of several he posted online that prompted complaints and an investigation by the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW).

The PFEW said he would be prevented from standing for election to any public-facing principal roles for 12 months.

Mr Cooke told BBC News he had appealed against the ruling and had "worked hard to rid the ranks of such people", but was sorry "if that did not come across in my posts".

Former officer Becky Kalam, who accused the regional federation of bullying and complained about Mr Cooke, said she welcomed his suspension.

Another ex-officer Khizra Bano claimed in December that widespread racism and homophobia existed within West Midlands Police and is taking its chief constable, Craig Guildford, to a tribunal over claims including discrimination that he denies.

In response to news articles about her claims of racism, for which she had cited multiple examples, Mr Cooke posted on social media it was "nonsense".

She subsequently lodged a complaint with the national federation which said at the time it had received "multiple complaints on this matter".

Becky Kalam, a former detective inspector, was a firearms officer at the force from July 2012 and said she was "saddened" at the harassment, discrimination, victimisation and bullying she had experienced

A forum called Brave Spaces set up by Ms Bano where officers and staff could share experiences of racism, homophobia and sexism was described in a post by Mr Cooke on X as a "fishing trip to collect hearsay and innuendo to smear colleagues".

In addition, responding to a BBC article about a woman speaking about the harassment she suffered at the hands of former Warwickshire Police officer Paul Whitehurst, Mr Cooke posted that "many officers lives are also totally destroyed by false and malicious allegations".

Whitehurst later resigned from the force and was given a custodial sentence after he admitted attacking another woman.

'Felt victim-blamed'

Charlotte Smith, the woman in the article, told BBC News she did not know Mr Cooke and had only become aware of his post on Monday.

"I don't know why he is commenting about me, he doesn't know me or my case and is not involved,so why is he doing that?," she asked.

Ms Kalam, a former firearms officer was awarded more than £820,000 in January last year after winning a sex discrimination case against West Midlands Police.

An employment tribunal heard she was subjected to sexist and derogatory language, but she said the regional federation stopped the funding to assist her in her complaints and asked her to sign an non-disclosure agreement.

She refused and was then supported by the Metropolitan Police Federation.

All her complaints were later accepted by West Midlands Police.

Ms Kalam went on to make an official complaint about Mr Cooke, stating she felt "victim-blamed" by him and other federation officers, prompting investigations by the PFEW.

Ms Bano's complaints of racism in West Midlands Police drew a response of "nonsense" from Mr Cooke

"It's a time for real accountability and change," Ms Kalam said.

Saying Mr Cooke's duty had been "to support all officers", regardless of "gender or any other protected characteristic", she added the outcome of the investigation was "a message now from the national federation that if you mock victims, if you dismiss discrimination, if you abuse your platform you have failed in that duty and you are unfit to lead".

In response, Mr Cooke said: "I have appealed and I want to reiterate it was the description of "widespread " racism and misogyny among my colleagues I reject.

"That is not to say those issues do not exist now or in the past. We have worked hard with the force to rid the ranks of such people.

"If that did not come across in my posts I am sorry, but I feel it is important as the elected branch chair to represent the vast majority of colleagues who do an outstanding job helping the public, every day, without fear or favour."

In a statement, the PFEW said Mr Cooke had been found in breach of the federation's standards relating to conduct, integrity and professionalism.

"As a result, Mr Cooke will be prevented from standing to election to any public-facing principal roles with the federation for a period of 12 months from his suspension in December 2024.

"The outcome follows a process led by an independent investigating officer and a panel of elected federation reps."