North Yorkshire Police officers dismissed over racist messages

The misconduct hearing took place at North Yorkshire Police headquarters in Northallerton

Two police officers have been dismissed after having been found guilty of gross misconduct for exchanging racist WhatsApp messages.

Det Con Danielle Kirby and PC James Mills both served with North Yorkshire Police in York when they sent the messages in 2018 and 2019.

A misconduct panel found they broke professional standards of behaviour.

Deputy Chief Constable Mabs Hussain said the language and views expressed in the messages had been "repulsive".

He said: "It has no place in society, let alone from people who have sworn an oath to uphold the highest standards of fairness, integrity and respect to all people."

The four-day hearing at North Yorkshire Police's headquarters in Northallerton was told that the messages had been discovered after Ms Kirby handed in her phone to colleagues for it to be examined as part of a separate investigation.

'Damning evidence'

Olivia Checa-Dova, North Yorkshire Police's barrister, said the messages had included a number of offensive and racist comments that could cause "significant reputational damage" to the force.

Ben Summers, representing Ms Kirby and Mr Mills, said there was no evidence either of them had ever treated people from a different ethnic background less favourably while on police duties.

Deputy Chief Constable Hussain said: "While I fully acknowledge the damage such cases have on public confidence in the police service both here in North Yorkshire and across the country, I want to make it clear that the police are overwhelmingly a force for good.

"Where behaviour of this nature is uncovered, we will take robust action."

The force was determined to become "a more diverse, inclusive and representative service", he said.

"The evidence in this case was damning and it is only right the panel upheld the gross misconduct and the officers have been dismissed from North Yorkshire Police," he added.