Police chief inspector faces misconduct hearing ‘for calling BAME colleague a choc ice’

White police chief inspector faces misconduct hearing ‘for calling ethnic minority colleague ‘a choc ice’ after they asked to be allowed to work from home during Covid lockdown’

  • Stewart Miller said to have used the slur to refer to Humberside Police co-worker
  • He’s also accusing of saying the man was ‘more white and middle class than me’
  • He had been asked for advice as ethnic minority groups more at risk from Covid

A white chief inspector faces a misconduct hearing after allegedly calling an ethnic minority colleague ‘a choc ice’ after they asked to be allowed to work from home during lockdown.

Stewart Miller is said to have used the slur while referring to one of his Humberside Police co-workers.  

He is also accused of saying ‘[he] is probably more white and middle class than I am’ in the argument which unfolded in June this year.

Stewart Miller is said to have used the slur while referring to one of his Humberside Police co-workers

The comments were allegedly made at Birchin Way Police Station in Grimsby, Lincs

The comments were allegedly made at Birchin Way Police Station in Grimsby, Lincs

The comments were allegedly made at Birchin Way Police Station in Grimsby, Lincs., when he was approached by a detective inspector for advice on a particular BAME officer wishing to work from home as ethnic minority groups were at a heightened risk from coronavirus.

According to the allegations, Chief Insp Miller said: ‘[He] isn’t fat or diabetic and has a good job so doesn’t fit the category. In fact, he is as close to white as he can be, in fact he’s a choc ice.’

The formal accusation also stated that Chief Insp Miller’s office door was open when he made the comments, with members of staff working in the adjacent Major Incident Room.

At the time, the inspector was undertaking the Specialist Command for Coronavirus role as the single point of contact.

Chief Insp Miller is charged with breaching professional police behaviour standards contrary to the Police Conduct Regulations (2020), and was due to appear for his misconduct hearing at the old magistrates building in Goole today.

A spokeswoman for Humberside Police said the force would not be commenting ahead of the hearing.