THE head of Merseyside Black Police Association said he plans to quit his post amid alleged “race-related bullying and coercion” within the force.
Vinny Tomlinson told the ECHO he will resign as chairman at May’s annual general meeting.
The 42-year-old also blamed a newly-imposed Service Level Agreement which now governs how the Merseyside Black Police Association (BPA) and other social networks within the force must operate.
Mr Tomlinson insisted that racism still existed within Merseyside Police and said he was leaving due to what he perceived as moves to decimate the BPA by senior bosses.
One female police civilian told the ECHO she twice tried to commit suicide after suffering “overt racism”.
Two colleagues were reprimanded after she was racially abused in the Canning Place HQ control room.
One black female constable said she considered leaving her job on countless occasions after alleged persistent racist abuse.
Other black and ethnic minority staff talked about “a culture of prejudice and discrimination” where they allegedly had to work harder to gain recognition and faced bigger hurdles than white colleagues if they wanted to progress.
Today, Merseyside Police denied there was a culture of racism and bullying within the force.
They said the force supported the BPA which was “about its members, not one individual”.
Assistant Chief Constable Patricia Gallan also urged staff to report their concerns.
And she said other networks within the force, including those which support women, Christians and gay and lesbian workers, had fully accepted the new agreements designed to help them operate.
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