Whilst several others have escaped prosecution, and many remain in post, the Iranian born, Metropolitan Police Force Commander, Ali Dizaei, 47, is said to have become the most senior officer to be jailed for corruption in more than 30 years. As a result, media pressure is prompting calls for use of emergency ‘fast-track’ powers from the Metropolitan Police Authority to sack him from his job and former head of the Metropolitan Police Superintendents’ Assocation, Simon Humphrey, is leading the charge to deny him a possible, lucrative £1 million pension plan.
A controversial, if not highly intelligent man, he was seen as a bullish character with an innate ability to convince others to sacrifice their own integrity in support of his own personal ambitions. His ruthless abuse of anti-discrimination policies enabled him to leap frog colleagues from other minority communities. In the same manner that Colonel Gadaffi of Libya likes to see himself as king of Africa, Dizaei became the president of the National Black Police Association (NBPA) despite not being African or Asian.
This could only happen because a fundamental weakness in both the membership and leadership of NBPA officers. Their collective fear of asserting their African identity meant that ‘black’ by their own definition on the NBPA website was defined with the woolly statement, “The definition of ‘Black’ does not refer to skin colour… The emphasis is on the common experience and determination of the people of African, African-Caribbean and Asian origin to oppose the effects of racism.”
And as if this ridiculous ethnic ambiguousness was not enough, the NBPA further undermined their own authority by publishing another bold yet politically ignorant statement. “The NBPA is open to all in policing on application.. and there is no bar to membership based on colour”. It is this statement in particular that has led to some of them becoming a laughing stock. It mirrors the logic behind the statement of the BNP’s Nick Griffin who having being forced by the governments Equality and Human Rights Commission to allow African and other non european people into the odious political party said; “they can’t call us racist any more”.
An African Police Association encompassing all those with African Ancestors would have been just as legal as an English Heritage Committee focusing on the cultural concerns of those with european ancestors. So when Dizaei exploited this ideological weakness, by first becoming its legal advisor and then progressing to its leader, it was a shame that the African officers in both the NBPA and Metropolitan Black Police Association (MBPA) did not stand up to him, and by implication themselves.
However there are many who believe they were so concerned about the institutional racism hampering their own career prospects in the force that they did not want to become divided. The rationale was that, if the Met would brazenly seek to take down the high ranking Assistant Commissioner, Tarique Ghaffur (a bumbling Asian Met officer with ideas way above his station) then none of them was safe.
Their mistake was in not realising that there was little difference between Ghaffur and Dizaei political ambitions. Dizaei was the Met’s most senior officer from the Iranian community. Ghaffur was the Met’s most senior officer from the Asian community. Ghaffur’s total ineffectiveness in post meant that he had virtually no support from the African, Asian or indeed wider community. When his career progression came to a halt after meeting an immovable barrier, he greedily decided to bite the hand that fed him and start accusing Scotland Yard of racism.
But unlike his African colleagues who came to his defense (Dizaei was one of his advisors), he was not motivated by a desire to challenge the institutional racism that affected people on the streets and officers in the force, therefore after abusing their good will he felt no way about betraying them and settling for a £310,000 payout to help make the pain of his public ego bruising go away.
But for the officers of the MBPA/NBPA fear had set in. With the Mets inner circle showing it had the brazen audacity to continue using its full resources in targeting Dizaei, despite losing several battles with him in the past, none of them felt safe. The principle behind them defending him was honorable if not misguided.
As a result, this lead to them making the tragic mistake of issuing a statement that read;
“The National Black Police Association and the Metropolitan Black Police Association fully support Commander Dizaei during the course of this prosecution. We will call to account those who use the public purse and the law to settle their personal vendettas.”
All for one, one for all.
But unfortunately by now they had lost sight of their responsibility and ability to tackle injustice irrespective of whether it came from outside or within their ranks. Somewhere along the line they forgot that Dizaei was not one of them, and no matter how much loyalty they showed him, he had no intention of ever becoming one of them.
Following his conviction Dizaei is reported to have told the Guardian newspaper that the case was ‘completely outrageous and a fit-up’. Ironically he is correct. Despite the fact that he himself was found guilty of attempting to ‘fit-up’ Waad al-Baghdadi, his accusation outlining the vicious vendetta pursued by the authorities against him is unquestionably true. For several years there has been an inner circle within the Metropolitan Police Force focused on removing Dizaei using any means at their disposal. In the past Dizaei was very fortunate, with the exposure of the clumsy and overtly aggressive Operation Helios, an intrusive multimillion pound investigation launched into his life during 1999, he netted over £60,000 as a handsome payout in compensation.
The some 1,000 illegal wire taps alerted Dizaei to the intense suspicions held against him by his superiors over allegations of corruption, using drugs and prostitutes. But seemingly convinced of his invulnerability he had little disregard for the welfare of his colleagues defending him and his continuing reckless, flamboyant actions placed others, typically African officers, in the firing line. Superintendant Leroy Logan was the first to take ‘friendly fire’, if it had been any other officer they would have gone down, but the inner circle picked on the wrong African and Logan’s impeccable record held up in his defense resulting in his good name being cleared with a settlement of over £100,000 for wrongly accusing him of corruption over an £80 hotel bill.
But by now, Dizaei needed a shield, a place to hide, a position that would bring him the loyalty of sincere people working against racism in the police force. In a shrewd move of political genius he became president of the National Black Police Association. However sadly for him the Met’s inner circle would not give up. They already have enough unknown rotten apples to deal with, Dizaei whilst not a saint could and would if given the chance would undoubtedly expose all their dirty tricks and corrupt practices - they were not prepared to let this one escape.
Millions of tax payers money had been spent on ensuring Dizaei would not progress above rank of Commander and they would do whatever it took to see him go down, even if it meant manipulating the law. Backed by Nick Hardwick, the head of the impotent, Independent Police Complaints Commission, they knew they would eventually get their man. In their eyes, they were the law.
And so started the dirty tricks campaign, Dizaei, and his own ego played centre stage as the elaborate sting took place. Foolishly convinced of his own political immortality, the Iranian cop popped, abusing his authority and signing the warrant for his own downfall. A tragic, if not totally unethical ending if not for the fact that the racist element of the British media could not resist an opportunity to attack the real ‘black’ cops at the top.
First attacking the positive Africans such as the MBPA’s Alfred John who has been consistent in exposing corrupt police activity. A true leader and never one to shy away from exposing illegal/immoral policy designed specifically to target the African community such as racist stop and search and unethical DNA retention abuse.
Secondly, by wheeling out talking heads, loyal to the establishment people like David Michael, a founder of the original Black Police Association who was able to relish the opportunity to condemn Dizaei for having “subverted the movement for his own ends”.
But Michael’s is the exception not the norm. The majority of officers in the National and Metropolitan Police Association are honest, courageous and respectable if not somewhat politically naïve. Until they themselves stop apologizing for their identity and reclaim being African, this is likely to happen again and again and again.
The media attempt to link Dazaei to these officers is deceitful, dishonest, and facetious to say the least. Since Dizaei’s conviction, racists in the British media have seized the opportunity to attack the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA). Established in 2000, the body which was set up in the wake of the Macpherson report following the murder of Stephen Lawrence, has with admittedly, limited success held the Police to account, if not justice, over stop and search abuse of young people and African deaths in custody.
But whilst being responsible for many of the successes in reducing the blatant racist practices that continues to dominate the police force at all levels, its impenetrable aloofness has meant that it has also made some very powerful enemies including the Tory Mayor of London, Boris Johnson. The Mets inner circle working with malignant elements in government and the British media has colluded at all levels to remove anything or anyone working to bring true equality to the force.
The parties involved (government ministers, press and police) hate the idea of adopting modern policing values, they prefer the old ‘boys own’ nature of the force. According to the cabal, policing should be more ‘Sweeny’ not ‘Columbo’, more ‘Starsky and Hutch’ not ‘Law and Order’, accountability should remain with the ‘big lads’ and deep down even rank and file (as indicated by the morally repugnant Police Federation) feel that if ‘birds’, ‘queers’, ‘spastics’ and definitely ‘ethnics’ don’t like it or can’t lump it, then they should get out.
We still need an association for African police officers because the UK police force’s inner circle is real, it has been for years and like MI5 it abuses its authority, uses covert surveillance, torture, lies, steals and plants evidence, drugs and guns, killing, raping and fighting dirty to achieve its aims. Protected by high ranking government ministers, the Police Federation and the IPCC it sees itself as above the law. Sadly, Ali Dizaei was cut from a similar clothe. But it is also worth remembering that despite ludicrous media protestations, Dizaei was not a ‘black’ officer, nor was he an innocent officer, he was simply a mediocre officer just like thousands of others who still remain in service.
The struggle against corrupt British policing continues.
External Links
Police commander Ali Dizaei charged with misconductAli Dizaei disciplinary charges dropped ‘due to politics’Police chief Ali Dizaei faces the sack within weeks after receiving four-year termMet pays £100,000 to settle new race caseA new force
A controversial, if not highly intelligent man, he was seen as a bullish character with an innate ability to convince others to sacrifice their own integrity in support of his own personal ambitions. His ruthless abuse of anti-discrimination policies enabled him to leap frog colleagues from other minority communities. In the same manner that Colonel Gadaffi of Libya likes to see himself as king of Africa, Dizaei became the president of the National Black Police Association (NBPA) despite not being African or Asian.
This could only happen because a fundamental weakness in both the membership and leadership of NBPA officers. Their collective fear of asserting their African identity meant that ‘black’ by their own definition on the NBPA website was defined with the woolly statement, “The definition of ‘Black’ does not refer to skin colour… The emphasis is on the common experience and determination of the people of African, African-Caribbean and Asian origin to oppose the effects of racism.”
And as if this ridiculous ethnic ambiguousness was not enough, the NBPA further undermined their own authority by publishing another bold yet politically ignorant statement. “The NBPA is open to all in policing on application.. and there is no bar to membership based on colour”. It is this statement in particular that has led to some of them becoming a laughing stock. It mirrors the logic behind the statement of the BNP’s Nick Griffin who having being forced by the governments Equality and Human Rights Commission to allow African and other non european people into the odious political party said; “they can’t call us racist any more”.
An African Police Association encompassing all those with African Ancestors would have been just as legal as an English Heritage Committee focusing on the cultural concerns of those with european ancestors. So when Dizaei exploited this ideological weakness, by first becoming its legal advisor and then progressing to its leader, it was a shame that the African officers in both the NBPA and Metropolitan Black Police Association (MBPA) did not stand up to him, and by implication themselves.
However there are many who believe they were so concerned about the institutional racism hampering their own career prospects in the force that they did not want to become divided. The rationale was that, if the Met would brazenly seek to take down the high ranking Assistant Commissioner, Tarique Ghaffur (a bumbling Asian Met officer with ideas way above his station) then none of them was safe.
Their mistake was in not realising that there was little difference between Ghaffur and Dizaei political ambitions. Dizaei was the Met’s most senior officer from the Iranian community. Ghaffur was the Met’s most senior officer from the Asian community. Ghaffur’s total ineffectiveness in post meant that he had virtually no support from the African, Asian or indeed wider community. When his career progression came to a halt after meeting an immovable barrier, he greedily decided to bite the hand that fed him and start accusing Scotland Yard of racism.
But unlike his African colleagues who came to his defense (Dizaei was one of his advisors), he was not motivated by a desire to challenge the institutional racism that affected people on the streets and officers in the force, therefore after abusing their good will he felt no way about betraying them and settling for a £310,000 payout to help make the pain of his public ego bruising go away.
But for the officers of the MBPA/NBPA fear had set in. With the Mets inner circle showing it had the brazen audacity to continue using its full resources in targeting Dizaei, despite losing several battles with him in the past, none of them felt safe. The principle behind them defending him was honorable if not misguided.
As a result, this lead to them making the tragic mistake of issuing a statement that read;
“The National Black Police Association and the Metropolitan Black Police Association fully support Commander Dizaei during the course of this prosecution. We will call to account those who use the public purse and the law to settle their personal vendettas.”
All for one, one for all.
But unfortunately by now they had lost sight of their responsibility and ability to tackle injustice irrespective of whether it came from outside or within their ranks. Somewhere along the line they forgot that Dizaei was not one of them, and no matter how much loyalty they showed him, he had no intention of ever becoming one of them.
Propaganda: Ali Dizaei and wife in ‘black’ cop scandal article
The Fit Up
Following his conviction Dizaei is reported to have told the Guardian newspaper that the case was ‘completely outrageous and a fit-up’. Ironically he is correct. Despite the fact that he himself was found guilty of attempting to ‘fit-up’ Waad al-Baghdadi, his accusation outlining the vicious vendetta pursued by the authorities against him is unquestionably true. For several years there has been an inner circle within the Metropolitan Police Force focused on removing Dizaei using any means at their disposal. In the past Dizaei was very fortunate, with the exposure of the clumsy and overtly aggressive Operation Helios, an intrusive multimillion pound investigation launched into his life during 1999, he netted over £60,000 as a handsome payout in compensation.The some 1,000 illegal wire taps alerted Dizaei to the intense suspicions held against him by his superiors over allegations of corruption, using drugs and prostitutes. But seemingly convinced of his invulnerability he had little disregard for the welfare of his colleagues defending him and his continuing reckless, flamboyant actions placed others, typically African officers, in the firing line. Superintendant Leroy Logan was the first to take ‘friendly fire’, if it had been any other officer they would have gone down, but the inner circle picked on the wrong African and Logan’s impeccable record held up in his defense resulting in his good name being cleared with a settlement of over £100,000 for wrongly accusing him of corruption over an £80 hotel bill.
But by now, Dizaei needed a shield, a place to hide, a position that would bring him the loyalty of sincere people working against racism in the police force. In a shrewd move of political genius he became president of the National Black Police Association. However sadly for him the Met’s inner circle would not give up. They already have enough unknown rotten apples to deal with, Dizaei whilst not a saint could and would if given the chance would undoubtedly expose all their dirty tricks and corrupt practices - they were not prepared to let this one escape.
Millions of tax payers money had been spent on ensuring Dizaei would not progress above rank of Commander and they would do whatever it took to see him go down, even if it meant manipulating the law. Backed by Nick Hardwick, the head of the impotent, Independent Police Complaints Commission, they knew they would eventually get their man. In their eyes, they were the law.
And so started the dirty tricks campaign, Dizaei, and his own ego played centre stage as the elaborate sting took place. Foolishly convinced of his own political immortality, the Iranian cop popped, abusing his authority and signing the warrant for his own downfall. A tragic, if not totally unethical ending if not for the fact that the racist element of the British media could not resist an opportunity to attack the real ‘black’ cops at the top.
First attacking the positive Africans such as the MBPA’s Alfred John who has been consistent in exposing corrupt police activity. A true leader and never one to shy away from exposing illegal/immoral policy designed specifically to target the African community such as racist stop and search and unethical DNA retention abuse.
Secondly, by wheeling out talking heads, loyal to the establishment people like David Michael, a founder of the original Black Police Association who was able to relish the opportunity to condemn Dizaei for having “subverted the movement for his own ends”.
But Michael’s is the exception not the norm. The majority of officers in the National and Metropolitan Police Association are honest, courageous and respectable if not somewhat politically naïve. Until they themselves stop apologizing for their identity and reclaim being African, this is likely to happen again and again and again.
The media attempt to link Dazaei to these officers is deceitful, dishonest, and facetious to say the least. Since Dizaei’s conviction, racists in the British media have seized the opportunity to attack the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA). Established in 2000, the body which was set up in the wake of the Macpherson report following the murder of Stephen Lawrence, has with admittedly, limited success held the Police to account, if not justice, over stop and search abuse of young people and African deaths in custody.
But whilst being responsible for many of the successes in reducing the blatant racist practices that continues to dominate the police force at all levels, its impenetrable aloofness has meant that it has also made some very powerful enemies including the Tory Mayor of London, Boris Johnson. The Mets inner circle working with malignant elements in government and the British media has colluded at all levels to remove anything or anyone working to bring true equality to the force.
The parties involved (government ministers, press and police) hate the idea of adopting modern policing values, they prefer the old ‘boys own’ nature of the force. According to the cabal, policing should be more ‘Sweeny’ not ‘Columbo’, more ‘Starsky and Hutch’ not ‘Law and Order’, accountability should remain with the ‘big lads’ and deep down even rank and file (as indicated by the morally repugnant Police Federation) feel that if ‘birds’, ‘queers’, ‘spastics’ and definitely ‘ethnics’ don’t like it or can’t lump it, then they should get out.
We still need an association for African police officers because the UK police force’s inner circle is real, it has been for years and like MI5 it abuses its authority, uses covert surveillance, torture, lies, steals and plants evidence, drugs and guns, killing, raping and fighting dirty to achieve its aims. Protected by high ranking government ministers, the Police Federation and the IPCC it sees itself as above the law. Sadly, Ali Dizaei was cut from a similar clothe. But it is also worth remembering that despite ludicrous media protestations, Dizaei was not a ‘black’ officer, nor was he an innocent officer, he was simply a mediocre officer just like thousands of others who still remain in service.
The struggle against corrupt British policing continues.
External Links
Police commander Ali Dizaei charged with misconductAli Dizaei disciplinary charges dropped ‘due to politics’Police chief Ali Dizaei faces the sack within weeks after receiving four-year termMet pays £100,000 to settle new race caseA new force
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The UK police force’s inner circle is real, it has been for years and like MI5 it abuses its authority by fighting dirty to achieve its aims. Protected by high ranking government ministers, the Police Federation & the IPCC it sees itself as above the law.
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