Tarique Ghaffur
Tarique Ghaffur QPM |
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Tarique Ghaffur
Biography
Born in
Two years later, in 1974, Ghaffur joined the newly formed Greater Manchester Police, where he worked in uniform and as a CID detective. One of only two police officers from a minority ethnic background out of a force of over 6,000, Ghaffur asserted that the desk sergeant on his first day with the police refused him admission to the station as he did not believe he was a police officer.[6]
Ghaffur rose through the ranks at the GMP, reaching the rank of
In 2001, he was promoted to Assistant Commissioner, and headed three of the Metropolitan Police's Operational Command Units: the Directorate of Performance, Review and Standards in 2001; the Specialist Crime Directorate from November 2002; and Central Operations from 2006.
In 2011 he was the dean of the London Community College of Education,[7] a private college in London.
Controversies
As the UK's highest-ranking Asian Muslim police officer, he often used his position to comment on issues of alleged racism in the police service, and on alleged discrimination against Muslims as a factor inciting radical Islam.
In 2005 Tarique Ghaffur and
On 28 August 2008, Ghaffur held a press conference at which he accused the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Ian Blair, of racism and discrimination, and confirmed speculation that he would take proceedings against Sir Ian and the MPS at an employment tribunal.[12] In the following days, Ghaffur claimed, he received death threats which he claims to believe came (in part) from within the MPS. As a consequence he says he considered a leave of absence, and his lawyers hired a firm of private bodyguards to secure his safety. Although he has disclosed them in the media, Ghaffur has not reported these death threats to the police, claiming that he has lost faith in the ability and willingness of the police to protect him.[13]
On 25 November 2008, the Metropolitan Police Authority confirmed that Tarique Ghaffur had agreed an out-of-court settlement for £300,000 in his racial discrimination claim against Scotland Yard. Both parties agreed to a confidentiality clause and Ghaffur retired from the Metropolitan Police on 27 November 2008.[14]
Awards
Ghaffur was awarded the
Ghaffur was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws from Manchester Metropolitan University on 16 July 2007, and an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws from the University of Leicester on 25 January 2008.
Family
Ghaffur is married and has two children, one of whom is Faraaz Ghaffur.[16]
References
- ^ How to say: Tarique Ghaffur, BBC News, 7 August 2006.
- ^ Although The Guardian specifically states Ghaffur's birthdate as 8 June 1955 in a 2008 profile, the same newspaper says 1958 here. In addition, several sources refer to Ghaffur joining the Greater Manchester Police at age 16 in 1974, which corresponds to the 1958 date.
- ^ Coleman, Pamela: My best teacher, TES Magazine, 8 November 2002.
- ^ Dawar, Anil: Tarique Ghaffur profile: Policeman who navigated race minefields, The Guardian, 5 November 2008.
- ^ Akbar, Arifa: 'My family came to Britain with £700 and reinvented themselves. But the scars remain', The Independent, 17 August 2003.
- ^ John, Cindi: Profile: Tarique Ghaffur, BBC News, 7 August 2006.
- ^ Board of Directors LCCE Archived 8 March 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Muslim Met chief gets 'hate mail', BBC News, 25 August 2006.
- ^ Top Asian officer in race claim, BBC News, 25 June 2008.
- Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 31 August 2008.
- ISBN 978-1-84609-755-3)
- ^ Dodd, Vikram: Top Asian officer sets out race case and directly blames Met police chief, The Guardian, 29 August 2008.
- ^ Townsend, Mark (31 August 2008). "Met police 'bombard top officer with death threats". The Observer. London. Retrieved 31 August 2008.
- ^ Gray, Sadie (25 November 2008). "Tarique Ghaffur settles out of court with Met commissioner". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 25 November 2008.
- ^ Queen honours senior Met officer, BBC News, 12 June 2004.
- ^ Richard Edwards (29 August 2008). "Daily Telegraph". London. Retrieved 30 August 2008.