Police chief gives rousing speech about respecting young people. Days later, his officer is filmed calling a gang ‘little f****ts’
States of Jersey Police take part in Jersey Pride celebrations. (StatesLgbt/ Twitter)
A police officer from Jersey, in the Channel Islands, is under investigation after he was caught on video calling a group of young people “little faggots”.
ITV obtained mobile phone footage of the incident, which took place on May 27 in St Brelade, Jersey. The footage has been confirmed as genuine by police.
The video shows the police officer using the homophobic slur after he approached a group of young people to break up a gathering, allegedly in violation of coronavirus lockdown measures at the time.
In the portion of their conversation captured in the footage, one of the young people said to the police officer: “Little faggots? You just called them little faggots.”
The officer responded: “Yes, I did.” When the young person insists that the term is discriminatory, the officer said: “How is it? You tell me in your drunken stupid state how that’s discrimination?”
He then added: “It’s not, mate. Look up discrimination. If you had a phone.”
The young person insisted again: “You just called them faggots and they’re not gay.”
The States of Jersey Police said in a statement: “We were made aware of this footage several weeks ago and although a complaint from the public was not received, we took immediate action and referred it to the professional standards department who are conducting an internal disciplinary investigation.”
The police service added that it takes a strong stance on inappropriate and offensive language.
Just days before the footage was revealed, Jersey chief of police Robin Smith gave a statement about the importance of respecting young people, marking the first Children’s Day in Jersey.
Smith said: “As part of the States of Jersey Police’s commitment to young people in Jersey, we have a pledge.
“So often police in Jersey are seen as enforcing laws. As the chief of States of Jersey Police I want to be seen as supporting young people, not enforcing the law.”
Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands, approved same-sex marriage in 2015 but the legislation was bogged down in amendments and it only held its first same-sex ceremonies in 2018.
The British Crown Dependency makes its own law through an independently elected parliament, but delegates foreign affairs and security to the UK.
