Met Police’s first gay black officer says new commissioner must tackle ‘canteen culture’

The Metropolitan Police’s first gay black PC who had his face painted with white boot polish while training has said the new commissioner must tackle the force’s ‘canteen culture’. 

Gamal Turawa, who came out as the Met’s first openly gay black officer said racist remarks made by his colleagues were dismissed as ‘banter’. 

Mr Turawa, who suffered a breakdown towards the end of his career, said he was complicit in the abuse because he wanted to ‘fit in’. 

His experience has led to a Bafta-nominated short film called The Black Cop by director Cherish Oteka. 

Gamal Turawa, who came out as the Met’s first openly gay black officer,  was plastered in white boot polish by fellow trainees to make him ‘fit in’. Mr Turawa, centre, said he was complicit in some of the abuse in a new Bafta  nominated film on his experience

Pc Turawa, pictured with then Prime Minister Tony Blair said Cressida Dick's replacement must tackle the force's 'canteen culture' where racist, sexist and homophobic abuse is dismissed as 'banter'

Pc Turawa, pictured with then Prime Minister Tony Blair said Cressida Dick’s replacement must tackle the force’s ‘canteen culture’ where racist, sexist and homophobic abuse is dismissed as ‘banter’ 

Mr Turawa, known as G, said when he reported some of the abuse he faced to a senior officer, the complaint was dismissed after the superior asked whether he believed the matter would be taken seriously. 

Mr Turawa retired from the Metropolitan Police after 25 years of service in 2018. During his time working on the streets of London, he said ‘institutional discrimination’ remains within the force, especially in the ‘canteen culture’ were laddish banter is found.

Over the past 18 months, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick has faced intense criticism over the conduct of officers under her command and Scotland Yard’s response to a number of scandals.

A recent Independent Office of Police Conduct report into canteen culture in Charing Cross police station between 2016 and 2018 found officers sent racist, misogynist and homophobic messages over apps such as Whatsapp.  

In an effort to defend herself from criticism,  Dame Cressida told BBC radio hours before her eventual resignation on Thursday that she would remain in charge of the Met Police. 

She said: ‘I have absolutely no intention of going and I believe that I am and have been, actually for the last five years, leading a real transformation in the Met.

She told rogue officers to ‘get out now, otherwise we will find you’ and said she was ‘seething angry about the whole thing’ and there was ‘no place in the Met for sexism or racism or homophobia, for abuse of trust or for bullying’.

Hours later, she was forced to resign after losing the confidence of the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan. 

Dame Cressida Dick, pictured, was forced to resign as Met Police Commissioner after losing the confidence of Mayor of London Sadiq Khan

Dame Cressida Dick, pictured, was forced to resign as Met Police Commissioner after losing the confidence of Mayor of London Sadiq Khan

Mr Turawa's story is told in a Bafta-nominated short film by director Cherish Oteka

Mr Turawa’s story is told in a Bafta-nominated short film by director Cherish Oteka 

Her resignation came six months after she was handed a two-year contract extension by Home Secretary Priti Patel, who will now appoint her successor.  

For Mr Turawa, he said Dame Cressida made strategic errors when it came to reforming the force. 

He told Sky News: ‘I think one of the biggest mistakes [Cressida Dick] made was to say the force is no longer institutionally racist. The culture at the Met is not changed at the top, it’s changed in the canteens. That’s where the culture sits. It doesn’t sit in Scotland Yard.’ 

Mr Turawa successfully applied to join the Met on his fourth attempt in the early 1990s and was soon subjected to racist abuse which was dismissed as ‘banter’. 

He said he was targeted because of the colour of his skin, with one instructor accusing him of having a ‘chip’ on his shoulder.  

Commenting in the training incident he said he posed for the photograph while covered in shoe polish because he believed ‘now they like me’. 

He said: ‘They saw it as banter. At the time I saw it as banter. As I’ve grown and look back on it, I now see it for what it is.’

Mr Turawa, who prefers to be known as G, wants the Met Police to reform itself from the ground up

Mr Turawa, who prefers to be known as G, wants the Met Police to reform itself from the ground up

He said he never reported the incident so those involved never faced disciplinary proceedings. He said he could not complain as he was ‘complicit’ in his own abuse. 

After a decade in the force, Mr Turawa suffered a break down and even considered taking his own life.  

At the time of his breakdown, when he had written a suicide note, he was also struggling with his sexuality. 

However, he said his mental health crisis had a positive impact on his life. 

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, pictured right, lost confidence in Dame Cressida, left, prompting her resignation just six months after she was handed a contract extension by the Home Secretary Priti Patel

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, pictured right, lost confidence in Dame Cressida, left, prompting her resignation just six months after she was handed a contract extension by the Home Secretary Priti Patel

He said: ‘That breakdown was probably the best thing that ever happened to me because the three months I had off really forced me to look at myself and realise what I had allowed to happen to me. I had to start rebuilding myself.’

Since retiring from the Met, he uses his story to help educate serving police officers and other organisations. 

He said people have to be ‘part of the change’ instead of constantly criticising an organisation and not doing anything to change matters. 

The Metropolitan Police responding to the documentary issued a statement claiming things had changed from when Mr Turawa had joined the force. 

According to the statement: ‘This is not the same Met as it was 20 to 25 years ago.

‘We now provide mandatory diversity training for all officers and staff… and have introduced body-worn cameras so that the encounters our officers have with the public are recorded and are accountable.

‘Policing is complex and challenging and we strive to ensure we are fair and just.

‘The commissioner has been instrumental in personally improving the response to racist crime in London and enhancing the service we give to London’s black community.

‘We have done more than almost any other organisation to ensure that racism isn’t tolerated and we champion equality and inclusion.’ 

  • Anyone seeking help can call Samaritans free on 116 123 or visit Samaritans.org 

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