Ely: Police 'examine' video of white officer quizzing black driver
- Published
Cambridgeshire's Chief Constable Nick Dean said the circumstances of the video were being "examined"
A video showing a white police officer quizzing a black driver at the roadside is being analysed by police chiefs.
The footage, shot in Ely, Cambridgeshire, was shared widely on Facebook, external as nationwide Black Lives Matter protests take place.
It shows a conversation indicating the driver was pulled over, in 2015, just because he was black.
Cambridgeshire's Chief Constable Nick Dean said the footage was being "examined".
The force said it had not received any formal complaint about the officer's behaviour.
What does the video show?
In the footage, posted on social media by the driver's sister, the unidentified officer tells the driver there are county lines drug problems in the area involving black males.
The police officer says he does "not see many black males" in Ely and pulled the driver over because he had not seen him before.
The driver does not accuse the officer of being racist, but suggests he would not have been stopped if he were white - a point which the officer appears to accept.
Mr Dean said: "We have been and are committed to strengthening our ties with every community.
"I want to reassure you that I am committed to ensuring all officers and staff act with the upmost integrity and professionalism."
On Saturday, thousands of people joined anti-racism demonstrations across the UK amid outrage at the killing of George Floyd - an unarmed black man - while he was being detained by police in the US.
How Floyd's death resonated in the UK
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- Published7 June 2020
