A Metropolitan police detective who was found guilty of sending racist messages via WhatsApp has been allowed to keep her job, the Guardian has learned.
DS Victoria Teagle was investigated over the messages sent to her then partner, who eventually reported them to police professional standards’ investigators.
A hearing was held earlier this year and concluded a fortnight ago by finding the detective’s behaviour had fallen below the standards of the professional behaviour expected from police officers, relating to conduct and authority, and respect and courtesy.
The outcome of the case had not been made public.
Teagle was found guilty of gross misconduct by a disciplinary panel, and has received a final written warning, which will last three years, the Met has confirmed.
Gross misconduct carries a maximum penalty of dismissal without notice and being placed on a list barring people from future employment in policing.
The decision to let Teagle stay has caused outrage among some in policing, who believe it undermines promises by the Met commissioner, Mark Rowley, to rid his force of discrimination.
The decisions on Teagle were reached by the disciplinary panel, which had an independent legally qualified chair.
Rowley has said independent chairs can be more lenient than police chiefs and the government is changing the rules to oust them from running disciplinary panels.
The messages sent in 2021 were alleged to contain an offensive racist remark about an Asian colleague, insulting her Chinese heritage.
The remarks were about a colleague of Teagle’s who was a member of police staff and working as a detention officer.
In a statement, the Met said: “An officer who sent racist messages to a colleague has received a final written warning after an investigation by officers from the Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS).
“DS Victoria Teagle, based on the North Area Command Unit, appeared before a four-day gross misconduct hearing where she was found to have breached the standards of professional behaviour in respect of discreditable conduct and authority, respect and courtesy.
“In January 2021 and April 2021 Teagle sent a number of messages via WhatsApp to a colleague in which she repeatedly used a highly offensive and discriminatory slur in reference to another colleague.
“These matters were reported to the DPS in November 2021 and January 2022 and Teagle was placed on restricted duties.
“Following the conclusion of the hearing on Friday 27 October, she received a final written warning for 3 years.”
Andy George, the president of the National Black Police Association, said he feared the decision damaged policing: “I am deeply concerned and disappointed that DS Victoria Teagle was only given a three-year final written warning for a series of staggering unprofessional racist texts messages via WhatsApp repeatedly to her ex-partner, who reported these acts as a witness.
“This is just one example of many similar cases that have come to light recently and goes against the ethos of zero tolerance against racism in policing envisaged in the National Police Chiefs’ Council race action plan.
“We are concerned with the message this sends to others in the service and hope that more will be done to ensure racists in the ranks are held to account, particularly given the harsher treatments those from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds often receive.
“It is not enough to simply acknowledge these injustices; we must actively work to weed out those in our ranks who let policing down and inhibit our ability to keep all communities safe.”
