The officer who is a disgrace to his uniform

Each time a charge of racism against the Met has hit the headlines, the sanctimonious bleating of Commander Ali Dizaei, the Iranian born president of the National Black Police Association, has never been far behind.

So when Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur launched his recent bid to sue the Met for alleged racism, who was it that backed his claim?

Ali Dizaei. And when the Met's most senior Muslim female employee, Yasmin Rehman, claimed to be the victim of racist bullying, who was it that popped up to offer his support? Yes, Ali Dizaei.

In fact, Commander Dizaei appears to have been so busy intervening in claims of alleged racism, it's a wonder he's had any time for policing at all.

Now we learn that what Dizaei did have time for was a close association with the lawyer who is handling many of those same race claims against the Met - Dr Shahrokh Mireskandari.

Though the Mail this week exposed Dr Mireskandari as a convicted fraudster with a suspect legal degree, it transpires that Dizaei has secretly been advising him on how to undermine a prosecution case brought by the Met against one of the lawyer's clients.

You do not need to be a legal expert to realise that this represents a blatant conflict of interests - and an inquiry has now been launched into the affair.

But this is not an isolated incident. Time and time again, Dizaei's behaviour has raised serious concerns about his suitability to be a high-ranking officer in Britain's premier police force.

He is a womanising bully who is on record as having threatened to kill one lover. He has written a poisonous book about his colleagues. He has stood trial at the Old Bailey accused of expenses fraud and perverting the course of justice. Oh, and he is under investigation over alleged misuse of his Scotland Yard credit card.

So how does the Met treat Dizaei after this litany of disgrace? By promoting him to the rank of commander on a salary of £90,000, complete with chauffeured car.

The truth is that the commander has become untouchable. None of his superiors - and certainly not his pathetically PC boss, Sir Ian Blair - appear willing to challenge him for fear of the inevitable accusations of racism that would follow.

Unsurprisingly, there is now anarchy at the Yard. At a time when the Met should be encouraging the rise of its many fine black and Asian officers, it is being slowly destroyed by a sickening culture of opportunism and victimhood of which Commander Dizaei is the prime example. How shameful.

Hundreds of police set to lodge race bias claims

Hundreds of police officers are poised to mount race discrimination actions against their own forces in reaction to the case launched by Britain's most senior Asian police chief, it was reported last night.

Black and Asian staff from almost every force in the country are claiming they have been marginalised or passed over for promotion, following the example of Tarique Ghaffur, the Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner, according to a report in The Sunday Telegraph. 

Mr Ghaffur has compiled a dossier of evidence that he believes proves he was discriminated against during his career in the police, including the claim that he was passed over for the post of deputy commissioner because of his race. continues here