The police watchdog is investigating after footage emerged of an officer telling a DJ that black people wearing “gangster-style clothing” were more likely to be stopped.
DMO Deejay, who plays weekly at DSTRKT nightclub in Leicester Square, posted a video on YouTube of him being pulled over by police while driving a Bentley GTC convertible in Piccadilly.
The footage was taken in the early hours of January 5 and gained widespread social media attention with more than 85,000 views, prompting the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) to launch its investigation.
In the footage, the Metropolitan Police officer tells the DJ: “This isn’t racist, it’s a fact. Predominantly, the criminal profile of people who do it are black people.
“So, naturally if you see a car full of black guys, maybe dressed in gangster-style clothing or whatever, when they’re driving down there, they’re getting stopped.”
IPCC Commissioner Cindy Butts said: “This incident has received widespread social media attention and in the press and it is therefore important for public confidence in policing that the matter is independently investigated.
“That is why we required the Metropolitan Police to refer the incident to the IPCC.
“We know that the incident itself lasted for around 16 minutes, the officer was wearing and had activated his body worn video at the time, so it’s important we examine all of the circumstances surrounding the stop.”
Investigators are to review the footage, speak to all involved and any witnesses to find out the reason behind the stop.