Detective and constable caught exchanging 'racist, discriminatory and offensive' messages sacked

19 March 2023, 21:41 | Updated: 19 March 2023, 21:44

A detective and a constable have been sacked from North Yorkshire Police after they were caught exchanging "racist, discriminatory and offensive" messages.

Detective Con Danielle Kirby and PC James Mills sent the messages to one another via WhatsApp between 2018 and 2019.

The messages came to light when Ms Kirby handed her phone over as part of a separate enquiry, MailOnline reported.

The officers - both based in York - were suspended by the force and have since been fired for gross misconduct.

Announcing the verdict, Deputy Chief Constable Mabs Hussain said: "The racist language and sentiments contained in the series of WhatsApp messages are repulsive.

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

"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.'

Legally Qualified ChairGerry Sydenham, added: "The messages exchanged by former PC Mills and former DC Kirby contained appalling racist comments which were egregious in nature and content.

"The corrosive effect of such racist gross misconduct upon public confidence in policing cannot be understated.

"It is intolerable and devastating to the good work of other police officers who try daily to build the public's trust and confidence in policing.

"Both officers undermined the public's trust and the trust of their police force in themselves in a grave and shocking manner, causing very significant and potentially lasting damage to public confidence in policing."