Student police officer dismissed without notice after making offensive 'turban' comment at training session

PC Tranter was dismissed from the force following a misconduct hearing on April 9, nearly two years after the incident at a West Midlands Police training session.

The hearing, which was conducted by Chief Constable Craig Guildford, independent panel members Dawn Quick and Christopher Green and legally qualified advisor Harry Ireland, heard that PC Tranter had attended an intense 20-week training course as a student officer in 2023.

PC Tranter faced two allegations of misconduct arising from two incidents during that course.

The panel heard heard how in one incident Tranter had made comments to the effect that "terrorists have beards and wear turbans" in front of four other student officers on June 30.

In the second incident, tutors gave an example of a mixed-race person being called an 'Oreo' at a training session delivered by the professional standards department on July 7.

It then heard that Tranter laughed when hearing this, which was noticed by two other student officers.

The panel heard from Tranter and two of the officers who attended the session.

PC Tranter said that he admitted an allegation regarding the first incident on the basis that it amounted to misconduct only, but denied the second allegation. 

However, the panel also said that there was little challenge to the evidence of the two officers, with one telling the panel that she saw PC Tranter laughing at the 'Oreo' comment and she saw this as she was sitting diagonally to him and could see his face and body language.

Tranter told the panel that he held no racist views. 

He said that the first allegation was a poor attempt at a joke in a momentary lapse of judgement and a mistake he deeply regretted, while he denied laughing at the second comment, saying it was a laugh to himself at the stupidity of the officer who had made the ‘Oreo’ remark. He insisted he did not find the remark funny. 

He also said that he had been diagnosed with autism in 2016, which led him to lapses in judgement, and acknowledged he would have to think carefully about making comments in future.

He also said, in cross-examination, that he was well-educated and that when reacting as he did to both comments.

In summing up, the panel said that the reaction of his colleagues had been helpful in assessing the intent behind his words and actions, saying that those giving evidence found them to be unacceptable and worth reporting to a supervisor.

The panel also said that his own admission of being well-educated should mean he would understand that his comments and reaction to the two comments would be inappropriate and unacceptable in any environment and he would know the difference between right and wrong, especially after input during his training.

The summary from the panel read: "This behaviour was at the end of an intense 20-week training course which, within the knowledge of the chair, contained inputs on values, professional standards, the Code of Ethics and the history of police relationships with different communities. 

"The two incidents were only eight days apart and it appeared that PC Tranter had not learned anything from the reaction of his colleagues to his first comment.

"Accordingly, the panel found that both allegations are proven and the officer has breached the Standards of Professional Conduct relating to Authority, Respect and Courtesy, Equality and Diversity and Discreditable Conduct and such amounts to gross misconduct. 

"The panel were not persuaded that this was low level, innocent or clumsy behaviour. It was serious on both counts. 

"It caused a negative impact on others present and the panel found that this was far from a trifling matter. 

"It was firmly within the territory of gross misconduct on both counts."

The officer was dismissed without notice.