White police officer subjected black PCSOs to a 'campaign of racial taunts'

A white police officer did ape impressions and used stereotypical West Indian accents and street slang to mock two black Community Support Officers, it was alleged today.

PCSOs Wayne Bell and Clint Charles claim they were victims of race discrimination and harassment and are seeking damages of up to £30,000 each from the Metropolitan Police.

They allege Pc John Harrison subjected them to a campaign of racist taunts and accused the London force of failing to investigate their complaints properly.

The Met denies the claims.

At an employment tribunal in Watford today, Bell, 40, of Westminster, central London, said he joined the Met as a PCSO in November 2002 and has applied to become a police officer.

He told the tribunal that problems began after Pc Harrison joined the Transport Operational Command Unit in early 2007.

Mr Bell, who is of Jamaican origin, said the constable mimicked Caribbean youths' style of speaking and walking.

Pc Harrison allegedly gave Mr Bell "hostile" looks and on one occasion commented on how well Mr Bell spoke English, the hearing was told.

Mr Bell said: "He walked with an exaggerated swagger and swung his hips. He did not do this if anyone else was around. He would do it and then grin at me. It was not a friendly grin. He was mocking me and trying to make me feel bad... It was clear to me that Pc Harrison was mocking me because I am Afro-Caribbean and black. Pc Harrison intended to be racist."

Mr Bell told the tribunal he had hoped the officer would stop his behaviour when he asked him to and said he found it difficult to complain because his line manager was friends with Pc Harrison.

After fellow claimant, Mr Charles, allegedly told him Pc Harrison had made ape-like faces at him, a further incident of mimicking prompted Mr Bell to complain to his bosses in February 2008.

Mr Bell said Pc Harrison was transferred to another station two weeks later.

But he claims a senior officer later told him Pc Harrison had stated "personal reasons" for what had happened and had been given "words of advice".

Mr Bell said: "I believe that I and Clint Charles have been the victims of sustained and deliberate discrimination by Pc Harrison, designed to intimidate and demean us. I believe that Pc Harrison was dealt with unduly leniently. I consider that the respondent has discriminated against us by failing to keep us properly informed about the investigation and by carrying out a wholly inadequate investigation."

Pc Harrison allegedly made ape faces, stared at and walked towards Mr Charles in an intimidating manner, the tribunal was told.

Mr Charles, 39, of Greenford, said the constable blanked him when he first introduced himself.

He became a PCSO in July 2007 after working for 17 years as a paint sprayer and in quality control, beginning in the TOCU in Hammersmith, west London, in September of that year.

Two months later, PC Harrison walked towards him in a "swaying, ghetto style", bouncing off his toes before giving him a hard stare, the tribunal heard.

"As he passed he turned his body and started walking sideways," Mr Charles said.

"I felt very intimidated. It gave me a shiver up my spine."

A few weeks later, Mr Charles said he caught Pc Harrison's eye while they were both using computers and saw he was staring at him.

Mr Charles said: "He pushed his tongue up in his top lip and made an ape face at me with his eyes open wide. I was amazed."