In a statement on Friday, the IOPC said it had launched two investigations against the officers – who belong to the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) – for allegedly engaging in conversations of a racist, misogynist, ableist and offensive nature. The officers have been told they are under investigation for possible breaches of professional conduct standards that constitute rough conduct. The IOPC clarified that the investigation did not necessarily mean proceedings or criminal prosecutions. Each officer’s condition will remain under review throughout the investigation. Sal Naseem, regional director of IOPC London, said: “Officers are committed to maintaining exemplary standards of behaviour, integrity and professionalism, so allegations such as this are extremely worrying and will be subject to a robust and independent investigation. “We continue to encourage officers to report any situation in which they see colleagues falling below the standards they should be held to.” The CNC is an armed police force tasked with protecting civilian nuclear installations and nuclear material in transit in England and Scotland. Wayne Couzens, a former Met police officer who kidnapped, raped and murdered 33-year-old Sarah Everard last year, served on the CNC in 2011. Couzens was also found to be among a police WhatsApp group where “extremely offensive” messages were shared. Three police officers have been accused of sharing racist and misogynistic messages to the group between April 5 and August 9, 2019. One of them, ex-Met officer Joel Borders, told the court he was described as “exemplary” during his time at the CNC, before the move of the Metropolitan police. Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Borders’ comments in the WhatsApp group included jokes about raping and beating a colleague and using stun guns on people with Down syndrome.
