Racism Claims "Priority", Says Hogan-Howe

(Posted on 13/04/12)

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe has made his intentions clear: racism will not be tolerated at Scotland Yard and he intends to "drive them out". These strong declarations come after being confronted on a popular radio show by the brother of a black bus driver who died in 2010. That case is being reinvestigated by Scotland Yard.

Hogan-Howe says he agrees with the caller, Roger David, and that there are no excuses for failure and admits London as a whole presents a "bigger challenge".

Police have concluded the death of Kester David in July, 2012 was suspicious after initially ruling it suicide. It now no longer insists Mr. David died by his own hands and has since launched a new investigation. Citing a "catalogue of errors", witnesses are now being interviewed and the events are being reviewed.

Family members of Mr. David never believed he would have taken his own life and after seeing a police report, they saw a number of failures on the part of police which led to serious errors. There were witnesses who were never interviewed and yet who reported seeing two white men near the scene and who were acting suspiciously. Those witnesses have now spoken to police.

Winifred Griffith, who is Mr. David's mother, filed a formal complaint and said her family was not treated with dignity nor respect and they did not care about what the family believed. She said they also provided inaccurate information to the family.

Roger David said in his radio appearance, "I think your force needs to buck up its ideas and realise that black and ethnic people are here in Britain, we're part of society and we request and demand the same kind of treatments as white people in Britain."

Hogan-Lowe agreed. He has assured the David family as well as his constituents that not only would this case receive top priority, but that racism would not be tolerated on his force. He's announced ten cases that would be immediately re-opened.

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