I read with dismay yesterday, but not disbelief, that PC James Patrick of the Metropolitan Police Service is ‘now’ being investigated for Gross Misconduct.
A serious charge, by any stretch of the imagination.
I know James through Twitter, and over time have realised we have more in common than not.
James and I were both professional police officers who transferred from outside Police Forces, into Scotland Yard. Both have over a decade of service, having served with honesty and integrity.
Would the Met have recruited such bad officers, whose earlier records speak for themselves?
I accused the Met Police of racism, homophobia and corruption and took the Commissioner to court after he failed to carry out his own whistleblower policy – The Reporter of Wrongdoing – which, the first trial judge in my case was scathing about.
There are no winners in any employment employee/employer fallout, but I was successful at the first trial and later the appeal trial which the Commissioner tried to defend. He failed on both counts.
I then gave evidence to the UK Parliament’s Home Affairs Committee, about the racism, homophobia and corruption with the MPS. The Commissioner rewarded me, by sacking me for Gross Misconduct.
An officer with an exemplary record, a Counter Terror one at that, charged with two offences of bringing the Police Service into Disrepute and Discrediting it. Who is really guilty of this though?
I was the one who had just proven in court the racism, homophobia and corruption with News Corp.
I’m not naïve, I was sacked to discredit me and show any future challenge that ‘all of a sudden’ after 11-years dedication and being vetted to Secret and Top Secret Information I’d some how gone rogue. It just doesn’t add up.
James too being vindicated after he gave evidence to the UK Parliament’s Public Administration Committee after raising ‘crime statistics fiddling’ within the MPS, is now also been investigating for Gross Misconduct.
I’ve said this to James once and I’ll say it again, they ‘are’ going to sack him.
The Commissioner cannot allow the likes of James and I to leave the Met (we both resigned, I was then reinstated against my will, then fired) with our heads held high, because, we have publicly challenged him through the power of social media.
Did the Home Affairs Committee believe I was lying, of course not.
Did the Public Administration Committee believe James was lying, of course not.
That’s the problem for the Commissioner. He has two officers like James and I who promised to serve without fear or favour and when we challenge internal wrongdoing, ‘we’ then become the targets.
What’s happened to the racist, homophobic and corrupt officers in my case? Nothing. In fact, some of them got promoted, twice.
What’s going to happened to the officers who fiddled the crime figures in James case? Nothing.
The Met is a force out of control, too big and too powerful. It really is, London’s biggest notorious gang.
If it wasn’t, why have James and I been hounded out of the job we loved. And for what, retaliation.
The Press, Public and Politicians are not soft though, the Met’s pursuit of the likes of James and I are transparent.
I don’t recall James being charged with Gross Misconduct for theft, assault or the like … purely because, he spoke on television and radio about his concerns.
I don’t recall myself being charged with theft, assault, dishonesty or the likes … purely because, I was ill and refused to be bullied by the Commissioner any further.
It doesn’t take a genius to work out and like James has rightly said, the ‘vindictiveness’ by the Yard.
Whilst I strive to get well myself and prepare for my third court trial against the Commissioner on 2 June, I hope I can support James in any way I can and hope others can too.
Do people really think the likes of James and I would risk everything, just for the sake of it?
The writing’s on the wall.
Take care.