North Yorkshire Police officers sacked over racist WhatsApp messages

Two police officers have been sacked after they were found to have exchanged racist Whatsapp messages.

The North Yorkshire officers, who were both based in York, have been subject to a gross misconduct hearing.

Detective Constable Danielle Kirby and Police Constable James Mills were found to have exchanged WhatsApp messages which were "racist, discriminatory and offensive" in nature.

They had been sent between December 2018 and March 2019.

The hearing panel, which sat for four days at North Yorkshire Police Headquarters in Northallerton, decided to uphold the gross misconduct for both officers.

Deputy Chief Constable Mabs Hussain, of North Yorkshire Police, said: “The racist language and sentiments contained in the series of WhatsApp messages are repulsive.

“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 deputy chief constable added: “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.

“Our dedicated officers and staff work around the clock to keep our communities safe from harm. If you or your loved ones need our help, we will be there.

“We are also determined to make North Yorkshire Police a more diverse, inclusive and representative service. This is actively taking place through the recruitment of officers and staff to ensure our teams reflect the residents and communities they are proud to serve.”

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To know...