News

GMP officer sacked for using ‘racially aggravated language’ to colleagues

It follows an accelerated misconduct meeting at GMP's headquarters this week.

Emily Sergeant - 23rd February 2024

A serving Manchester police officer has been sacked after making “offensive and derogatory” remarks to his colleagues.

PC Radoslaw Mikulski – who worked in Greater Manchester Police‘s (GMP) Trafford district, and had been on restricted duties since October 2022 – was officially dismissed from his role with immediate effect this week (19 February) following an accelerated misconduct meeting at GMP’s headquarters.

It comes after the police officer used “racially aggravated language” on two separate occasions.

The “offensive” language was used in private meetings to colleagues in September and October 2022 – with the first use referring to an incident, and the second about a member of the public. 

After a debrief into the first incident, GMP advised PC Mikulski that this type of language was “inappropriate”, and he then went on to admit that his behaviour amounted to gross misconduct and subsequently apologised.

He did, however, explain in the hearing this week that his comments in the first case “referred to an incident, rather than a person”.

PC Mikulski’s actions were reported to GMP’s Professional Standards Directorate, who then carried out an internal investigation which led to disciplinary proceedings. 

Chief Constable Stephen Watson – who presided over the hearing this week – agreed that the behaviour amounted to gross misconduct, and that PC Mikulski had therefore “breached the standards” of Equality and Diversity, as well as Authority, Respect and Courtesy. 

In dismissing the officer, CC Watson accepted that PC Mikulski’s use of the derogatory term had not been “malicious”.

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But he said that despite this acceptance, this type of language is still “highly offensive” and ultimately “falls below what the public rightly expects”, adding: “Racially aggravated language always constitutes an aggravating factor, and there is a risk of the trust of minority communities [in the police] being harmed.”

CC Watson also ordered PC Mikulski’s name to be added to the College of Policing Barred List. 

Featured Image – GMP