The man representing rank-and-file police officers in Avon & Somerset has accused the Chief Constable of “virtue signalling” after the top officer declared the force “institutionally racist”. Police Federation chairman Mark Loker strongly refuted Sarah Crew’s statement and said it did “nothing to drive change or amend culture” and would “actually drive a divide between our officers and communities”.
In a damning post on Facebook, Mr Loker said officers and staff would take it that they “were indeed considered racist” despite the Chief Constable insisting she was “not talking about what’s in the hearts and minds of most people who work for Avon & Somerset Police”. The force’s top officer said on Friday (June 16) that the constabulary was not only institutionally racist but also had a culture of misogyny, homophobia and discrimination against people with disabilities.
She said the system was unfair against Black people and pledged to put it right. But Mr Loker slammed the comments as a “false narrative”.
