Police Officer Dismissed for Gross Misconduct Over Offensive Language
A police officer who was among the first responders to the 2017 London Bridge terror attack has been sacked after a tribunal found him guilty of gross misconduct for using derogatory language about Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities in WhatsApp messages.
Details of the Offensive Messages
DC Mark Luker of the British Transport Police (BTP) participated in a WhatsApp group named "Selbie Gumshoes" with other members of the Major Serious and Organised Crime (MSOC) team. On 31 December 2024, in a conversation about a bottle of whisky won with a security tag still attached, Luker wrote: "Was this a raffle on a certain kind of site? Lots of mobile type homes? Lots of 'Dags'." He followed this with: "You are the MSOC pikey liaison."
The misconduct panel concluded these were deliberate messages that clearly link the Irish Traveller community to acts of theft. The term "dags" is believed to reference a scene in the film Snatch where a Gypsy character's accent is mocked, making it derogatory.
Further Discriminatory Comments
In another WhatsApp exchange on 17 March 2025, Luker responded to a video of a St. Patrick's Day parade with: "Off to find some scrap metal, lead roofing and cable." The panel ruled this message was deliberate and discriminatory, as it associated theft with the Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller community. Luker also used the word "pikey" again in messages on 27 March 2025.
During the tribunal, Luker admitted that the scrap metal comment was a joke linking theft to Irish Travellers but claimed he did not intend "pikey" to be offensive. He cited his experience as a first responder to the London Bridge attack on 3 June 2017, stating that humour was a coping mechanism for dealing with the trauma.
Panel's Findings and Conclusion
The misconduct panel acknowledged that DC Luker is not "inherently racist" but found that, as an experienced officer, he likely knew his language was offensive towards a minority community. They emphasized that such behaviour undermines public trust and violates professional standards.
This case highlights ongoing issues with discriminatory language within police forces and the serious consequences for misconduct, even for officers with commendable service records.
