Met officer keeps job after racist gestures, 'Pak Choi' insults

A Metropolitan Police officer has been given a final written warning for two and a half years after a disciplinary panel found he used racially discriminatory gestures towards a person of South East Asian descent. The officer, referred to as Officer X, will keep his job despite the findings.

The panel, led by former Police Commander Katie Lilburn, heard that Officer X repeatedly called the individual, identified as Person A, 'Pak Choi' and made Chinese noises. Person A, who is of Filipino mixed heritage, stated she considered the behaviour to be racism, although she did not believe Officer X to be a racist individual. The disciplinary panel ruled that the use of 'Pak Choi' was not inherently racist and found the allegation of its use being racially discriminatory or offensive not proved.

Racist Gestures Found Proven

A separate allegation against Officer X involved mimicking Person A and her mother using a Chinese accent, and making eye-pulling gestures mimicking a Chinese person. Person A stated that Officer X would also use a name her mother had given her when emulating her mother. Officer X denied this, describing such conduct as racist and uneducated. The panel found the allegation of using an eye-pulling gesture to mimic a person of South East Asian descent to be intrinsically racist. They concluded that Officer X would have been aware that his conduct was racially discriminatory, even though Person A did not challenge him at the time. This allegation was found proved.

Despite the finding of intrinsically racist behaviour, the panel decided against sacking Officer X. Instead, he was issued with a Final Written Warning, which will remain on his record for two and a half years.