Tarique Ghaffur resigns from the Metropolitan Police Service
(25 November 2008)

In a statement issued today, jointly on behalf of Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur, the Commissioner Sir Ian Blair, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Richard Bryan, the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA), Britain's top Asian Police Officer, Ghaffur confirmed that the litigation he had brought against the MPS had been settled. The MPA has paid a sum of money - reportedly £300,000 - in settlement of Ghaffur's claims, including contractual obligations, and a contribution to his legal costs. Mr Ghaffur will retire from the MPS on 27th November 2008, six months early - he was due to retire when his current contract expires in May 2009.

Tarique Ghaffur has withdrawn the proceedings and his claims that Sir Ian Blair and DAC Richard Bryan acted in a racist or other discriminatory way towards him. The MPA and the Commissioner acknowledged the important service of Tarique Ghaffur in the Metropolitan Police and his significant contribution to operational policing nationally during his 34-year career. They recognise the hurt which he has felt over the past 18 months.

Mr Ghaffur was unable to provide further details when Redhotcurry.com tried to catch up with him, stressing only that he was "unable to comment yet as the legal proceedings were not finalised". There is speculation that he could move on to a consultancy role for the security at the London 2012 Olympics.

On a personal note, Mr Ghaffur denied rumours that he had remarried his girlfriend Rubina Haider, saying only that this could perhaps take place in "due course". Ghaffur is currently divorcing his second wife, primary school teacher, Shehla.

About Tarique Ghaffur

Tarique Ghaffur started his police career with Greater Manchester Police in 1974. In his first four years, he worked as both a uniform and CID officer. He also carried out undercover work for the National Crime Squad and earned a Citation of Merit for his work. In 1978 Mr Ghaffur was promoted to Sergeant and, once again, undertook both uniform and CID work. In 1981, he headed a robbery squad that oversaw a dramatic reduction in robberies in the notorious post-riot Moss Side area. During this time, he also trained Saudi Arabian officers in security and VIP protection.

Promotion to Inspector was achieved in 1982 when after a short time at the Force Training Centre he moved to the inner city area of Longsight, where he was in charge of uniform and community involvement teams. In 1988, promotion to Chief Inspector saw him put in charge of Operations in Salford Division. He achieved the rank of Superintendent in 1989 and transferred to Leicestershire Constabulary. Whilst in Leicester, Mr Ghaffur took part in a three-month FBI exchange. Part of the studying he was required to do to attain his Certificate in Criminal Justice Education (University of Virginia) included organised crime, serious crime and drugs.

During his time in Leicester, part of his role included a major review of the Jamaican Constabulary, when he examined murders, human rights abuses by police officers and firearms crime. He also conducted a review into Leicestershire Constabulary, which resulted in a major re-organisation of the whole constabulary and the re-structuring of murder investigations, criminal investigation and scientific support.

In 1996 Mr Ghaffur was promoted to Assistant Chief Constable (Lancashire). On promotion to Deputy Chief Constable in February 1999, he spent six months at the Police Information Technology Organisation (PITO). During his time in Lancashire, he headed a review into child protection. He led a major corruption enquiry into a public organisation and also oversaw a significant reduction in crime. He instituted a reform programme to change the way in which the police service handled a number of operations, including firearms incidents. He also headed a major anti-terrorist operation in preparation for, and during, the Blackpool Labour Party Conference.

Mr Ghaffur then moved to the Metropolitan Police Service in September 1999 as a Deputy Assistant Commissioner. Following a restructure of South Area he became the DAC in charge of Operations, and then became Borough Commander of the City of Westminster in 2000.

During his time as DAC, he led a sensitive national level enquiry in another force area. He also headed complaints, press relations and murder reviews. Whilst in Westminster, he linked with Crime and Disorder Partners, to achieve a significant decrease in volume crime. Working with community partners, he also oversaw a number of high profile operations, including the policing of the Notting Hill Carnival and the New Year's Eve celebrations, in addition to a number of ceremonial events. Whilst at Westminster, Mr Ghaffur led a sensitive race enquiry that received national media attention.

In 2001, Mr Ghaffur was promoted to Assistant Commissioner, and headed the Directorate of Performance, Review and Standards. His operational work in this directorate covered partnership, youth and criminal justice issues. He has worked closely with the Police Authority in a number of development areas, such as planning, best value, inspections and performance. Externally, he sits on a number of strategic partnership forums such as the Advisory Board of the Prince's Trust, the Brathay Forum, CIPFA (Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy) Advisory Panel and ACPO (Association of Chief Police Officers) committees.

In November 2002, Mr Ghaffur assumed responsibility for the Specialist Crime Directorate. This was a new Directorate, which took over much of the work of what had previously been the sole responsibility of Assistant Commissioner Specialist Operations. He undertook a total reform of the way in which the business of serious and organised crime was managed, by developing a programme-based approach. As a result of this approach, he has overseen massive improvements in performance during 2003/4, with a murder detection rate of 97%, large increases in drug and cash seizures as well as significant reductions in gun-enabled crime, including commercial armed robbery.

He has been responsible for the institution of successful programmes such as Operation Maxim (organised immigration crime), Operation Payback (proceeds of crime), and Operation Grafton (organised crime around Heathrow), as well as augmenting and building upon the successes of Trident (black community gun crime). New programmes to be launched in 2004 include Operation Sterling (serious fraud) and a Trident style operation to combat organised crime in the South Asian communities.

During his time as Assistant Commissioner, Mr Ghaffur has overseen a number of large public enquiries. These include the Damilola Taylor and Victoria Climbie enquiries. Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur was appointed head of Central Operations in 2006.

Mr Ghaffur has a BA (Hons) in Public Administration and an MA in Criminology. He received the Queen's Police Medal (QPM) in 2001 for his services to policing. He received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of East London in November 2003. Most recently, in June 2004, Mr Ghaffur was awarded a CBE for services to policing in the 2004 Queen's birthday honours list.

In recognition of his position as a positive role model to all communities, as the most senior Asian police officer in the UK, and his work as a mentor to a large number of people both within and outside the police service, Mr Ghaffur has also received a number of high achievement awards from different communities in London. The awards also reflect his passionate commitment to improving safety and the confidence of diverse communities in policing.

The awards are as follows: GG2 Hammer Award 1999; GG2 Highest Ranking Ethnic Minority Officer 2000; the Asian Achievers Award 2001; Male Professional of the Year Award 2001; two Community Awards from Canada 2002; House of Lords High Achievement Award 2003; the Fellowship Award of the Asian Guild 2003; and the Public Sector Excellence Award 2003.

He has written a number of articles on Criminal Justice, Youth Crime, Diversity and Information Technology, as well as influential papers on how we tackle serious and organised crime. He has also delivered a number of national and local presentations on a range of policing issues.

He is currently divorcing his second wife, primary school teacher Shehla, with whom he has two children and is linked with South London mother-of-two, Rubina Haider.

Chronology of Tariq Ghaffur's complaints against the MPS

In June 2008, Tarique Ghaffur accused the MPS of racism, claiming that, inter alia, he was not properly consulted over the proposed law involving 42-day detentions for terror suspects The MPS rejected the claim of racism and said it would "robustly challenge" Mr Ghaffur's claim at any employment tribunal.

On 28 August 2008, Ghaffur held a press conference at which he accused the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Ian Blair, of racism and discrimination, and confirmed speculation that he would take Sir Ian and the MPS to an employment tribunal. In the following days, Ghaffur has stated he received death threats which he claims to believe come (in part) from within the MPS. As a consequence he says he considered a leave of absence, and his lawyers hired a firm of private bodyguards to secure his safety. Although he has disclosed them in the media, Ghaffur has not reported these death threats to the police, claiming that he has lost faith in the ability and willingness of the police to protect him.

On 9 September 2008, Tariq Ghaffur was put on "authorised leave of absence" from his job as Assistant Commissioner of the MPS. At the time, Mr Ghaffur responded by saying in a statement: “It is obvious to me that the actions that have been taken today have all the hallmarks of wilful acts of victimisation against me for explaining why I had made my complaint.”

Mr Ghaffur's complaint was championed by the National Black Police Association, headed by Commander Ali Dizaei, who was also suspended from the MPS on 19 September 2008 following a probe into charges that he had 'coached' a hit-and-run suspect to escape criminal prosecution.

On 25 November 2008, a joint statement was issued claiming that Ghaffur's litigation had been settled.