Former Herts policeman banned for life over 'racist joke'

Special Inspector Richard Downs, who worked in the Dacorum area, was added to the College of Policing’s barred list over an image he posted to his private Facebook page on October 1, 2023.

Downs, who had received a final written warning at the time for previous inappropriate use of social media, later resigned in January before the hearing went ahead.

According to the misconduct outcome published on July 18, the former officer posted a meme which read: “They’ve had to cancel the panto ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ this Christmas in Birmingham, Bristol, Oldham, Bradford, Burnley, Leicester, Luton and London. Apparently, the giant couldn’t smell any Englishmen.”

Herts Chief Constable Hall said the officer's behaviour "seriously questions his ability to act fairly and impartially, particularly with ethnic minorities. Herts Chief Constable Charlie Hall labelled it a “clear racist comment” and found that Downs' conduct breached the police standards of professional behaviour for “Equality and Diversity”, and “Discreditable Conduct”.

Although it was a private account that few people would have seen, the police chief had “no doubt” it would have undermined public confidence in policing if it was seen more widely.

“It seriously questions his ability to act fairly and impartially, particularly with ethnic minorities,” he added. “There is significant concern about racist attitudes in policing which this post would only have amplified.”

Former special inspector Richard Downs was barred from serving again for life. (Image: Will Durrant/LDRS) The former special inspector did not attend the hearing on July 8 and did not admit or deny posting the image, but Chief Constable Hall found Downs had declared he was the owner of the account on a vetting form in 2021.

In November 2023, the former police officer replied to the notice of alleged misconduct saying “the thing that annoys me is that no one is happy to approach me and say perhaps you should take that down like I’ve done with people in the past”.

Chief Constable Hall judged it did not breach the standards for “Authority, Respect and Courtesy” or “Confidentiality”, as it concerned off-duty behaviour and did not relate to any police information.

Although Downs had served with the force for 14 years and “given good service to his community”, the police chief concluded his “appalling” behaviour amounted to gross misconduct and he would have been dismissed from the force if he had not already resigned.