Met police firearms

[Fedster + 1,307]

PC caught out following complaint over comments including calling travellers "f****** scumbags".

A well-respected officer has been dismissed without notice after making and sharing offensive posts on her social media account.

PC Jeanette Cadden, who had a 13-year career with Avon and Somerset Police, made various discriminatory posts via her personal account including "social houses in Britain should be for British born only, share if you agree."

Another post stated: "Ex-serviceman living in a car. Share if you think he should be housed before any refugee."

While a third said: "Migrants will be charged by A&E: Foreigners to be filled for emergency treatment."

A fourth post carried CCTV footage of two women allegedly stealing a charity box including the words: "The two Romanian gypsies pelted with eggs yesterday are at it again, this time stealing a charity box."

Beneath it, she had added: "F****** scumbags - Bring on Brexit."

The posts surfaced when someone complained to the force.

A misconduct hearing panel found the posts were discriminatory, that the officer had not acted impartially and had shown negative and discriminatory views about certain demographic groups.

Her unblemished career, the fact she was an “operationally effective and respected officer” and the commendation she received in 2015 were taken into account.

PC Cadden was praised after stopping a woman from jumping to her death at notorious suicide spot, Avon Gorge, by grabbing her by the hair.

Her mental state was also taken into consideration at the hearing as she has been experiencing a difficult family situation, involving illness and bereavements.

However, after weighing-up all the facts it was determined public confidence in the force could not be restored and maintained if PC Cadden continued to serve.

She was dismissed without notice.

Misconduct panel chairman Stephanie Beazley said: “She has demonstrated that, despite a lengthy career on frontline duties, encompassing relevant training on Equality and Diversity, she is not capable of exercising due care and attention in respect of her privately-held views.

“Unfortunately, there is little we could envisage by the way of remediation that would overcome this; the damage to the public’s perception of her specifically, and the police service in general, has already been done.

“Our outcome must therefore demonstrate that police officers always act impartially and do not hold or condone discriminatory views. For that reason, it is necessary to dismiss PC Cadden without notice.”

View On Police Oracle

[SD + 688]

Which bits are racist?

[Zulu 22 + 4,576]

She was perhaps correct in what she said, but it was the phraseology and words used, and the place they were made that let her down. I can think of many topics on this forum where people have described some people as "Scumbags" with very little if any others objecting.  She was pointing out the plight of ex servicemen and the apparent favouritism towards immigrants. She also commented about two Romanians who had stolen Charity Boxes. Like others and am at a loss to see the racism, unless the truth is counted as such.

I would have thought that a written warning, or reprimand would have been sufficient.

[mike88 + 257]

Extremely harsh, you might not agree with her views but I don't see how ''social housing for British born'' is racist. And her reply to the article about the Romanian thieves, well the article itself pointed out they were Romanian and many people voted for Brexit because they want tighter controls for European immigration... this is not racist either. She didn't discriminate against or single out a specific race. This is why I wouldn't put any political views on social media. 

I like how the force pointed out she'd been given "diversity and equality training" to wash their hands of her. Forces are often throwing officers under the bus to stop any kind of litigation coming their way.

[a-bothan-spy 81]

An abhorrent injustice.

It comes to something when holding commonly held (and justifiable) views like hers are grounds for being sacked.

Utterly revolting.

[Zulu 22 + 4,576]

I hope that she lodges an appeal.

[MajorDisaster + 579]

One possibility is that the posts in question were shared from a political group such as Britain First which might have been seen as supporting the group - or there may be more to this than meets the eye.

[MerseyLLB 8,426]

We could learn a thing or two from America...there officers right to free speech is protected as long as they make it clear they aren't acting as a police officer.

It seems to me this officer shared some posts of a controversial nature. I don't think they're particularly racist.

Perhaps the force is itself against the deportation of criminals and considers itself a sanctuary county?

[Reasonable Man + 1,231]

If people currently in the police cannot see the racism here then it's further proof that the 'diversity training' has just been a tick box exercise with no real learning achieved and institutional racism exists just like Macpherson found.
There's no point with the retired dinosaurs whose views are so ingrained that they we will never accept that, if they think this sort of thing is okay, they are wrong. Just like previous generations cannot understand that the 'N' or 'P' words are wrong.
Now attack me for being a 'politically correct gone mad, bleeding heart liberal' but I feel quite sad that this officer thought it was okay to express such views, couldn't see the damage that this does to policing and that others within policing are defending it.

[Pavillion 43]

41 minutes ago, Reasonable Man said:

If people currently in the police cannot see the racism here then it's further proof that the 'diversity training' has just been a tick box exercise with no real learning achieved and institutional racism exists just like Macpherson found.
There's no point with the retired dinosaurs whose views are so ingrained that they we will never accept that, if they think this sort of thing is okay, they are wrong. Just like previous generations cannot understand that the 'N' or 'P' words are wrong.
Now attack me for being a 'politically correct gone mad, bleeding heart liberal' but I feel quite sad that this officer thought it was okay to express such views, couldn't see the damage that this does to policing and that others within policing are defending it.

The dogmatic ingrained belief that police officers can do no wrong runs deep with the forum members.

[SimonT + 1,185]

I don't think many people would suggest that police officers are entirely incapable of making mistakes, doing things wrong, committing crimes etc 

Whilst the debate over the level of punishment is quite reasonable, it's hard to argue that they did nothing wrong in this case. They clearly did. 

It's curious that the mitigation was not successful. Flawless record, personal issues etc all counting for nought. 

Edited January 11, 2018 by SimonT

[SD + 688]

53 minutes ago, Reasonable Man said:

If people currently in the police cannot see the racism here then it's further proof that the 'diversity training' has just been a tick box exercise with no real learning achieved and institutional racism exists just like Macpherson found.
There's no point with the retired dinosaurs whose views are so ingrained that they we will never accept that, if they think this sort of thing is okay, they are wrong. Just like previous generations cannot understand that the 'N' or 'P' words are wrong.
Now attack me for being a 'politically correct gone mad, bleeding heart liberal' but I feel quite sad that this officer thought it was okay to express such views, couldn't see the damage that this does to policing and that others within policing are defending it.

I’ve not defended the officer, but neither do I see the comments as being racist. Political views which lean to the right but not racist. Since when has having a view on immigration or crime been a sackable offence?

So which part do you think is racist?

[SD + 688]

14 minutes ago, Pavillion said:

The dogmatic ingrained belief that police officers can do no wrong runs deep with the forum members.

Trolling so early in the morning. You are on form aren’t you.

[Mac7 808]

I have to say I agree with Reasonable Man. The comments are foolish, offensive, ignorant and inflammatory. Officers are well aware that if you make comments like that you will end up in hot water. If you have personal views like that these I suggest you open your eyes to the world, read current affairs, read the news and try to change. I would not like to work with someone with these views. How an officer can express this views publicly and not expect recompense is beyond me.

[mike88 + 257]

11 minutes ago, Mac7 said:

I have to say I agree with Reasonable Man. The comments are foolish, offensive, ignorant and inflammatory. Officers are well aware that if you make comments like that you will end up in hot water. If you have personal views like that these I suggest you open your eyes to the world, read current affairs, read the news and try to change. I would not like to work with someone with these views. How an officer can express this views publicly and not expect recompense is beyond me.

But a lot of people hold similar views on immigration to her. I wouldn't ever say what she has said because I think her views are very crass and simplistic however I wouldn't write someone off as a liability and incapable of being compassionate or a good police officer for having them. People are more complex than a few lines of text on social media and I don't think being against immigration/taking in refugees equals being a racist. An officer wouldn't last for 13 years in the job if they were that much of uneducated overt racist in the workplace and dealing with members of the public.