'Shocked' senior UK police officer urges staff to report racist behaviour

London, Apr 4 (ANI): Britain's Metropolitan Police commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe has said that he been 'shocked' by recent revelations of racist behavior in the police force and 'will not stand for any racism or racists'.

In a personal address to Scotland Yard's 48,000 staff, Hogan-Howe also urged his staff to report inappropriate behaviour by colleagues.

"We have a duty to challenge or report any behaviour by colleagues which is less than the high standard demanded by the service and Londoners themselves. You cannot avoid that duty. Nor can I," The Guardian quoted him, as saying.

"What we have heard over the last few days is of course completely at odds with all the close work that goes on with communities across London every day. We work hard to forge strong relationships with people who can advise us and rightly hold us to account," he said.

"I want us all to go out there and remind those communities of our commitment to fairness and professionalism. I will not stand for any racism or racists in the Met," he added.

On Friday, the Guardian released an audio recording from a mobile phone in which a police officer could be heard using offensive racist slurs against a black man arrested after the London riots.

The controversy further deepened after the Guardian revealed that one of the officers present when the racist remarks were made, PC Joe Harrington, allegedly assaulted another black man, aged 15, hours later.

Hogan-Howe, who is Britain's most senior police officer, is believed to have told his colleagues he was appalled after listening to the recording over the weekend. (ANI)