A SENIOR police officer has made a formal complaint that he was put under pressure to deal more leniently with black and Asian officers undergoing disciplinary investigations.

Superintendent Peter Schofield, of the Greater Manchester Police’s internal affairs department, has produced a document containing allegations that the “integrity of the force was at stake”.

The officer, who is on annual leave, is said to have spoken out because he felt that the department was under pressure to treat officers from ethnic minorities in a different way to white colleagues.

He cited half a dozen examples, including the case of a black sergeant who, it is understood, went to watch Manchester United’s Champions League clash with Rangers at Old Trafford last week when he was meant to be working. It is alleged that the department’s recommendation of serious punishment was overturned and that the officer was simply moved from a police station in the city to South Manchester.

The allegation comes at a sensitive time for the force, which came under fierce criticism after the screening of the BBC’s The Secret Policeman. That showed an undercover journalist eliciting racist taunts and demonstrations from young recruits.

Mr Schofield has made his complaint to Michael Todd, the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, and to the Police Complaints Authority.

The authority, acknowledging the sensitivity of the issue, moved swiftly to send Wendy Towers, its deputy chairman, to Manchester to examine the evidence. Sir Alistair Graham, chairman of the authority, said: “I have spoken with the chief constable to express my concern about the allegations, which come from an experienced superintendent who we have knowledge of and have confidence in.

“I have arranged for my deputy to make a fact-finding visit to see if there is any substance in the allegations.

“The allegations are that senior police officers are intervening to show a degree of leniency that would not happen to other officers. The key has to be that all officers, regardless of the colour of their skin or ethnic background, are treated equally.”

The allegations has surprised the force’s Black and Asian Police Association. Charles Crichlow, its chairman, said that they would divert attention from the real issue of racism within the force.

He said: “I reject the suggestion that ethnic minority officers are being given lighter penalties than white officers.”

Ray Powell, president of the National Black Police Association, said that the real concern was the disproportionate number of black and Asian officers subject to disciplinary procedures.

Mr Powell said: “I find it very disturbing that a senior police officer feels such a need to make such a statement.”

A spokesman for the force said: “We can confirm that a member of the Greater Manchester Police force has raised concerns about what they believe to be a number of issues related to our disciplinary processes.

“It is the right of any officer to highlight concerns they have about fairness to their managers and we encourage our staff to question our processes.”

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