The Guardian

Family of student policeman seek IOPC inquiry

Sammy Gecsoyler Aamna Mohdin In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org

The family of a student police officer who died this month are calling for an independent investigation from the police watchdog after they claimed he faced discrimination, bullying and a lack of support.

Anugrah Abraham, known as Anu, was a 21-year-old student police officer on a placement with West Yorkshire police. He went missing on Friday 3 March. He was found the next day and his family were told that he had taken his own life.

His family are calling on the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) to investigate West Yorkshire police. They allege that he faced bullying, discrimination and a lack of support, which they say took place during his first on-the-ground placement at Halifax police station.

His family say he faced targeted bullying from colleagues, was shouted at in front of colleagues on numerous occasions and sent out to difficult disturbances alone. On one occasion, he was allegedly forced to carry out a full body search of a corpse found in a river early in his training.

His family claimed he would face racist abuse from the public while sent out on the beat alone, including being addressed as “Abdul” and spat at. Anu allegedly told his line manager and others in the team that he was not coping well and did not want to go out on assignments alone. The family say he was put on a management plan in response.

On Friday 3 March, Anu had breakfast with his parents. His mother says the stress and worry of going back to work the next day was clear. He was reported missing that evening.

The family say the way they were treated by Greater Manchester police, who took over his case as he lived in Bury, was “appalling”. When Anu’s car was found near woodlands on 3 March, the family allege police did not search the area and told them the woodlands were “dangerous” and contained wild animals such as “hedgehogs”. The family allege that police refused to send a helicopter out to search for him. His body was found on 4 March by a dog walker.

Anu is described as “honest, loving, smart, hard-working” by his family, who say he was known by loved ones as a “gentle giant”.

A spokesperson for West Yorkshire police said: “We take allegations of bullying and discrimination within the workforce very seriously. The force has referred itself to the IOPC, which deemed it appropriate that a local investigation was undertaken.”

DCI Dave Jones, of Greater Manchester police’s professional standards branch, said: “This incident was referred to our branch and the IOPC for review who concluded that GMP had not caused or contributed to Anugrah’s death and the force had responded appropriately to the missing person’s report.”

An IOPC spokesperson said: “The complainant will have the right to have the force’s handling of the matter reviewed by the IOPC upon conclusion of the investigation.”

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2023-03-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-03-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://guardian.pressreader.com/article/281840057917531

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