Gurpal Singh Virdi (born 1958) is a former local councillor for the London Borough of

Hounslow Hounslow () is a large suburban district of West London, west-southwest of Charing Cross. It is the administrative centre of the London Borough of Hounslow, and is identified in the London Plan as one of the 12 metropolitan centres in ...

between May 2014 and May 2018, previously serving for the Metropolitan Police from 1982 as the first officer from Asian descent from Hounslow to join the police force. Virdi retired from the Metropolitan Police in 2012 following what he described as institutional racism and discrimination within the Police Force.

Early life

Virdi grew up in

Southall, London Southall () is a large suburban county of West London, England, part of the London Borough of Ealing and is one of its seven major towns. It is situated west of Charing Cross and had a population of 69,857 as of 2011. It is generally divided ...

. His education started with the bussing out programme during which immigrant ethnic minority children were dispersed across schools in the hope that it would help them integrate. After completing full-time education, Virdi worked at Beecham Products ( GlaxoSmithKline), based in

Metropolitan Police

In 1982, Gurpal Virdi joined the Metropolitan Police as the first officer of Asian descent from Hounslow to join the police force. Virdi worked both in active uniform service and within the Criminal Investigation Department (plainclothes detectives). During his thirty years’ service, he was very vocal in challenging the mistreatment of ethnic minority communities. By his retirement in 2012, Virdi was recognised for 30 years of exemplary performance within the Metropolitan Police.

Dismissal and acquittal

In 1998, whilst serving on neighbouring Ealing Division he was arrested and accused of sending race hate mail to his colleagues. Virdi was one of 13 black and Asian officers who received a printed image of a black man accompanied by the message: “Not wanted. Keep the police force white, so leave now or else”. Scotland Yard claimed that Mr Virdi himself had sent the mail, sparked by anger at being turned down for promotion. He was dismissed from the police in 2000. The subsequent employment tribunal case exonerated Virdi and led to the Metropolitan Police Authority Virdi Inquiry report, published in 2002. Virdi was issued with a full written apology by the Commissioner,

Sir John Stevens John Arthur Stevens, Baron Stevens of Kirkwhelpington, (born 21 October 1942) was Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis (head of the Metropolitan Police Service) from 2000 until 2005. From 1991 to 1996, he was Chief Constable of Northum ...

, before returning to work in 2002 An investigation by

Peter Marshall (journalist) Peter Marshall (born 1952) is a British journalist and broadcaster who has worked across national and international media since 1978, primarily for the BBC. Education He was educated at Rhyl Grammar School, De La Salle College, Jersey, and the ...

into Virdi's wrongful dismissal was awarded the RIMA (Race In The Media Award). Virdi retired from the Metropolitan Police in 2012, following what he described as institutional racism and discrimination within the Police Force.

Later life

In 2012, Virdi carried the

Olympic Torch The Olympic flame is a symbol used in the Olympic movement. It is also a symbol of continuity between ancient and modern games. Several months before the Olympic Games, the Olympic flame is lit at Olympia, Greece. This ceremony starts the Olym ...

from

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...

Kew Bridge Kew Bridge is a wide-span bridge over the Tideway (upper estuary of the Thames) linking the London Boroughs of Richmond upon Thames and Hounslow. The present bridge, which was opened in 1903 as King Edward VII Bridge by King Edward VII and Quee ...

as part of the

2012 Summer Olympics torch relay The 2012 Summer Olympics torch relay was run from 19 May until 27 July, prior to the London 2012 Summer Olympics. The torch bearer selection process was announced on 18 May 2011. As well as touring the United Kingdom the schedule included the ...

. Virdi was elected as a local councillor for the London Borough of

between May 2014 and May 2018, representing Labour for the majority of his time. He trained to become a tutor for Adult Education and worked with vulnerable people. He also worked as a Youth Justice Panel member.

Accusation of indecent assault

In 2014, Virdi was accused of indecent assault on 7 November 1986. The accuser told police that Mr Virdi had attacked him and shoved a retractable police baton up his backside in the back of a prison van, though such batons were not in use in Britain at the time of the alleged attack. In July 2015, Gurpal was acquitted at Southwark Crown Court of any wrongdoing. During the trial, Mr Virdi accused the Met of bringing the criminal case against him as part of a 17-year campaign to "hound" him out of the force. The case of Gurpal Virdi was subsequently picked up by

Sir Peter Bottomley Sir Peter James Bottomley (born 30 July 1944) is a British Conservative Party politician who has served as a Member of Parliament (MP) since 1975 when elected for Woolwich West, serving until it was abolished before the 1983 general election. ...

in 1998, notable as previously Member of Parliament and advocate at the time of the murder of

Stephen Lawrence Stephen or Steven is a common English first name. It is particularly significant to Christians, as it belonged to Saint Stephen ( grc-gre, Στέφανος ), an early disciple and deacon who, according to the Book of Acts, was stoned to death; ...

. Bottomley requested that the Home Secretary, at that point

Theresa May Theresa Mary May, Lady May (; née Brasier; born 1 October 1956) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2016 to 2019. She previously served in David Cameron's cabi ...

, review the case. In March 2018 Bottomley submitted an Early Day Motion, calling for a parliamentary debate on the matter. On 28 March Sir Peter successfully requested to meet with the Prime Minister Theresa May to discuss the matter and how to eradicate institutionalised racism from such important establishments as the Metropolitan Police. Virdi authored the book ''Behind the Blue Line'' published in 2018 by Biteback, detailing Virdi's fight against racism and discrimination in the Metropolitan Police.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Virdi, Gurpal Singh People from Hounslow People from the London Borough of Hounslow 1958 births British police officers People from Southall Councillors in the London Borough of Hounslow Living people British Sikhs Police misconduct in England British people of Indian descent British politicians of Indian descent