New Met police video

[Fedster + 1,307]

 Northamptonshire Police officer has been dismissed for saying black women have "too much blackitude" and speaking of taking "the weave off her head and slapping her across the face with it".

Northamptonshire officer dismissed for use of the word 'blackitude'

Date - 1st February 2021
By - Chloe Livadeas

PC Mehmet Akkaya joined the force in December 2019 as a student officer.

In February 2020 he was part of a class of student officers at the training school at force Headquarters. During the lunch break he asked the group “Who here has ever dated or gone out with a black girl before?”, and then said “Well, I would never go out with a black woman, too much blackitude” and then “If I was going out with a black woman I’d take the weave off her head and slap her across the face with it”.

His comments were challenged by a colleague and reported to senior officers. PC Akkaya was then spoken to by senior officers and did not dispute what he said and didn’t seem to recognise an issue with it. He said the term ‘blackitude’ was around black women having an attitude and certain way of doing/saying things, compared to white people.”

It was subsequently recorded as a Hate Incident and met the criteria for a mandatory referral to the IOPC, who referred it back to the force to investigate.

In a written submission to the investigation PC Akkaya stated that his words had been said “without any thought”. PC Akkaya, who describes himself as a black male of Turkish and Jamaican parents, said that the word ‘blackitude’ was commonly used by black people, that his comments were not intended as racist but accepted that the words were “inappropriate and unacceptable” and “appear to be discriminatory in nature against black women”.

He states that his comments were made in the course of a private conversation about preferences in relationships and the remarks were light-hearted and not intended to be taken seriously. He said ‘blackitude’ was not of itself a derogatory term and gave examples if it being used in a positive context.

A misconduct panel which took place from 21-22 January and chaired by Jane Jones considered two reports by and heard live evidence from Dr Richard Bramwell, a Loughborough University lecturer in communication and media studies and an expert on the use of black British vernacular. Dr Bramwell’s opinion was the term ‘blackitude’ was not commonly used within British culture.

Ms Jones wrote in hearing outcome report: “There has been some emphasis on the word ‘blackitude’, and in the end a consensus that the term is not necessarily derogatory. The Panel accept that the word has more generally been used in some cultural contexts in a positive way but note that it is also something that the officer specifically rejected in excess.”

An officer has a right to express their sexual preference, but the panel ruled that since PC Akkaya spoke of no actual relationship, no real experience, no actual person, it was “is just a very general public derogatory comment about a whole group of people with reference to their gender and race”.

“There is no doubt that in the context in which the word was used, it was meant to be derogatory and offensive,” writes Ms Jones.

PC Akkaya did not give evidence at the hearing which meant the panel were “unable to explore with him his prior knowledge or understanding of the cultural background and various uses of the term blackitude, as outlined by Dr Bramwell’s first report”, Ms Jones writes.

Ms Jones said the comments about slapping a woman with her weave “leaves little room for ambiguity”.

“If this was an attempt at humour it was ill judged and totally inappropriate in a professional environment” and “demonstrated a gross insensitivity to the very real issue of domestic violence”, she writes.

The panel did not accept this PC Akkaya’s defence that the words were said in the context of a private conversation as he was standing up in a training room, talking generally to those around him.

Ms Jones wrote in hearing outcome report: “He was not making a comment on his personal preference so much as a commentary on the characteristics of black women, as he saw them, in a stereotypical way. It was not an exchange of information, more a case of him setting himself up for a punchline or statement designed to shock. It may indeed have been intended as a joke, but the realisation that it was badly judged did not seem to dawn on him.

“When he was immediately challenged by a fellow officer, he just laughed and continued to speak with someone else. It was not a conversation that anyone else participated in.”

Ms Jones said since the remarks touched on race and gender and the officer would have been “naïve in the extreme not to appreciate that these were areas of sensitivity” and there was a potential for his comments to be perceived as offensive and would place his colleagues in a difficult position themselves, “given their obligation to report or challenge him”.

She concluded the comments do not reflect the values of Northamptonshire Police and "call into question the ability of this officer to deal impartially with black women".

View On Police Oracle

[SD + 714]

Interesting. Yet in my force spitting at the public or lying in your statements only gets you a written warning.

[Zulu 22 + 4,642]

I feel that there must be something more to this. In the report it refers to a specialist quote "A misconduct panel which took place from 21-22 January and chaired by Jane Jones considered two reports by and heard live evidence from Dr Richard Bramwell, a Loughborough University lecturer in communication and media studies and an expert on the use of black British vernacular. Dr Bramwell’s opinion was the term ‘blackitude’ was not commonly used within British culture.    He obviously knows more about this that the accused officer who just happens to be from the BAME community.

Now I know several Black and Asian Officers and have been able to speak tyo two of them. Mahta (West African) and Sooty an African Carribean heritage and before anyone accuses me his nickname is Sooty, which is his choice as his surname is Sutcliffe. He has never had any other nickname and prefers it to anything.  Both were fully conversant with the term "Blackitude" although, I must admit that it was new to me.

Now as the Black community, especially comedians use the "N" word frequently without offence when a white person would be hung drawn and quartered, it seems strange that a Black Officer was dismissed for using a Black term. Had it been spoken by a white officer then it could have had many connotations. 

I have met many Black and ethnic people who are charming and polite but I am sure we have all met some who are aggressive and have a poor attitude from the commencement of any communications.

Was the misconduct panel showing some form of racism?  I could see an appeal in the process.

 

[pcmode 40]

1 hour ago, Zulu 22 said:

I feel that there must be something more to this. In the report it refers to a specialist quote "A misconduct panel which took place from 21-22 January and chaired by Jane Jones considered two reports by and heard live evidence from Dr Richard Bramwell, a Loughborough University lecturer in communication and media studies and an expert on the use of black British vernacular. Dr Bramwell’s opinion was the term ‘blackitude’ was not commonly used within British culture.    He obviously knows more about this that the accused officer who just happens to be from the BAME community.

Now I know several Black and Asian Officers and have been able to speak tyo two of them. Mahta (West African) and Sooty an African Carribean heritage and before anyone accuses me his nickname is Sooty, which is his choice as his surname is Sutcliffe. He has never had any other nickname and prefers it to anything.  Both were fully conversant with the term "Blackitude" although, I must admit that it was new to me.

Now as the Black community, especially comedians use the "N" word frequently without offence when a white person would be hung drawn and quartered, it seems strange that a Black Officer was dismissed for using a Black term. Had it been spoken by a white officer then it could have had many connotations. 

I have met many Black and ethnic people who are charming and polite but I am sure we have all met some who are aggressive and have a poor attitude from the commencement of any communications.

Was the misconduct panel showing some form of racism?  I could see an appeal in the process.

 

My take after reading the outcome report is that it's not a surprising decision, probably not helped by the officer not giving evidence at the hearing. The fact that they were only 2 months into training probably didn't go in their favour. I don't see where the accusation of racism by the panel comes from, as an officer should be treated as an officer, not a black officer, gay officer etc. Same as getting rid of the term WPC, everyone is a police officer and what they are should not change what conduct is expected of them. The fact that a comedian can say things does not mean that an officer can get away with saying the same things. That's not racism, it's an expected part of being in the police.

[Zulu 22 + 4,642]

But, does the Panel Chairperson know the intricate thinking of a Black officers mind and perception.  If every officer is equal then please tell that to the Black Police Officers Association, they represent Black Officers whereas the Police Federation represent all Police Officers irrespective of Race or Sexuality. Now I do not agree with what he said but the Officer was very young in service and inexperienced, perhaps guidance and advice would not have gone amiss. Just saying.

[SD + 714]

As soon as they use academics to decide what is and isn't appropriate language were screwed.

[Zulu 22 + 4,642]

20 minutes ago, SD said:

As soon as they use academics to decide what is and isn't appropriate language were screwed.

That particular academic expert appears to know more about Black culture that a Black person who was born into it, and is living it. 

[pcmode 40]

5 minutes ago, Zulu 22 said:

That particular academic expert appears to know more about Black culture that a Black person who was born into it, and is living it. 

Are you assuming that the academic expert is white?

https://www.lboro.ac.uk/research/crcc/about/people/richard-bramwell/

[MindTheGap 1,275]

6 hours ago, Zulu 22 said:

 If every officer is equal then please tell that to the Black Police Officers Association, they represent Black Officers

BPA and local support groups will support any officer, as will LGBT support associations etc...

 

If they were to refuse it would be in beach of the Equality Act.

 

I know of several instances where the Women's police association have acted as police friend for male officers.

[Zulu 22 + 4,642]

8 hours ago, MindTheGap said:

BPA and local support groups will support any officer, as will LGBT support associations etc...

If they were to refuse it would be in beach of the Equality Act.

I know of several instances where the Women's police association have acted as police friend for male officers.

You could at least have been a little more honest by highlighting the whole quote which was "If every officer is equal then please tell that to the Black Police Officers Association, they represent Black Officers whereas the Police Federation represent all Police Officers irrespective of Race or Sexuality. Now I do not agree with what he said but the Officer was very young in service and inexperienced, perhaps guidance and advice would not have gone amiss. Just saying.

The Police Federation represents all Police Officers without placing them with certain labels.