Peterborough police officer dismissed after comment on LBC Radio forum about immigrants

A Peterborough police officer has been sacked from his job after making ‘offensive’ comments in a public forum.

PC James Roper, who was based at Thorpe Wood Police Station, was found to have breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour in respect of Discreditable Conduct, Authority, Respect and Courtesy, Equality and Diversity and Duties and Responsibilities, amounting to gross misconduct.

One of the allegations he faced was around language he used in a public forum.

The report, from Cambridgeshire Police, said: “On 14 or 15 December 2022 PC Roper engaged on a public forum (LBC Radio} with a third party (X) and made comments about a news item relating to the rescue of immigrants from the sea. The conversation with the third party was as follows:

X: blood on the hands of government again. Horrible how we treat these desperate people.

PC Roper: abso-*******-lutely not my friend. They’re not our problem until they make it here so lets not help them. They all believe in ‘inshallah’ so if it is truly his will they will get here then they will get here. If it isn’t then their Deity clearly had other plans for them

X: James Roper how do you know that?

PC Roper: who Muslims? - X – because I have to deal with them when they jump off the trucks at p’boro services!

PC Roper: X – don’t confuse national ID with religious beliefs

PC Roper: the vast majority of them all follow one particular brand of it bud.

"Further, PC Roper included a laughing face emoji to the end of his message exchange.”

In regards to the allegation, Cambridgeshire Police report said: “The Panel had regard to the LBC radio station signage, which was self-evidently a public forum, and concluded that, PC Roper would have known this was public and that his postings were discriminatory and offensive and would have been viewed by members of the public. Furthermore, PC Roper’s postings contravened the BCH Social Media policy.

“Moreover, given the number of messages exchanged with X (and the insertion of a laughing emoji) the Panel concluded that PC Roper’s conduct was deliberate and intentional.

“In all the circumstances, the Panel concluded that the proven conduct amounts to Gross Misconduct and engaged the Standards of Professional Behavior of: Discreditable Conduct, Authority, Respect and Courtesy, Orders and Instructions and Equality and Diversity.”

The panel also heard PC Roper had used an offensive term denigrated people with learning difficulties during a conversation with a colleague.

The police report said: “Whilst the panel noted that the term used was not in reference to any other individual and was self-deprecating, it is nevertheless offensive and discriminatory.”

Deputy Chief Constable Jane Gyford said: “The language used by the officer was not only offensive but discriminatory and falls below what our communities expect from a police officer

“The conduct that this officer has displayed falls below policing’s professional standards and it is important to show this finding to support the need to maintain public trust and confidence in the Constabulary.”