Panel retires to consider whether Met officer called others ‘cotton pickers’
Panel retires to consider whether Met officer called others ‘cotton pickers’
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A misconduct panel in the case of a Metropolitan police officer who is alleged to have used the term “cotton pickers” to describe black officers has retired to consider its decision. Pc Mia Korell, who is part of the Roads and Transport policing command, allegedly used the term to describe black officers who did not believe the Territorial Support Group (TSG) was a racist unit.
It is alleged Pc Korell, herself a black officer, used the language when she bumped into Inspector Alistair Phillips while they were both off duty in Guildford on October 7 2022. The pair had a broader conversation before they began speaking about racism in policing, the misconduct panel heard.
After hearing evidence from Mr Phillips and Pc Korell on Monday, the panel heard from lawyers representing the Metropolitan Police and Pc Korell. Chloe Hill, on behalf of the Met, told the panel sitting in central London during her closing speech: “The outcome of this is that the panel have to make a decision on the credibility of the two witnesses.”.
“It (cotton pickers) is so specific and unusual it is highly unlikely that Inspector Phillips misheard,” Ms Hill added. “This self-evidently amounts to gross misconduct in that it is conduct so serious that it can amount to dismissal.”. Earlier on Monday, Mr Phillips told the hearing Pc Korell asked him if he believed the TSG, which both officers were part of at the time, was racist, to which he said no.
