Racist attacks drives sergeant to support colleagues

5 November 2024

A Nottinghamshire Police Federation member is drawing on his own experiences of racism on the beat to support colleagues from ethnic minority backgrounds who face similar encounters.

Sergeant Sandeep Mann is hosting a series of drop-in sessions for officers to discuss the issues they face.

Sandeep is also encouraging officers and managers, from all faiths and cultural backgrounds, who want to understand more about the issues to take part in a session.

It’s part of his and the Force’s work on its Race Action Plan.

Sandeep, who is Sikh, said: “I’ve noticed there’s a gap in the Force for a support network, so I’m providing a drop-in session, once a month, at Hucknall Police Station.

Sergeant Sandeep Mann.

“It’s a chance for officers to pop in and have a chat about their issues and concerns.

“I’ve been an officer for 10 years and worked in various departments, so whether it’s newer recruits or older officers who are having or have had issues, please come and speak to me.

“I will take their issues on board and can either signpost them to the Federation or to other support networks in the organisation.

Confidentiality

“I can help them with my own experiences and confidentially take their concerns back to the chief officer team and see how we can address them.”

Sandeep said the sessions were born from his own experiences of being racially abused while policing the night-time economies in some of Nottinghamshire’s county towns and former mining communities.

“I’m a Sikh man and proudly wear a turban and have a long beard, so I stand out,” he said.

“When I first joined people would look once, have another take, point at me, all shocked.

“Working in the county I’ve had comments such as I’ve not seen one of you in a uniform before.

“I’ve had people saying that because I don’t wear a helmet I’m not in full uniform so if they commit a crime I can’t arrest them.

“If there’s been a terror-related incident, I get racist comments and abuse.

Hatred

“Some people can’t control the hatred inside, particularly when they’re intoxicated with drink and drugs.”

He added: “If you’re getting this week in, week out, it can grind you down, to the point I even considered why I was doing the job.”

Sandeep said he has found himself consoling colleagues who witnessed racist comments made against him.

“On one occasion two officers heard the comments made at me and didn’t react,” he said.

“The following shift we were on nights in the same place and they said to me they were quite upset at the comments made at me and they didn’t really do much.

“I thanked them for speaking to me. On talking to them I found myself consoling them, despite me being the victim in that situation.

“I discussed it with them, and we had an open conversation.

“I said that I knew they were upset by it but how do they think I felt? I said how degrading it was, when you’re stood there with colleagues and no one steps in.”

Sandeep recalled one occasion when he considered his future in policing.

It began with a visit to his mother-in-law’s home to wish her a happy 60th birthday and to apologise that he was working, and so would not be able to attend her celebrations.

Shocked

He said: “My brothers-in-law, who work in professional fields as well, were there.

“I spoke to them about going to work and that I was going to get racially abused that night, and they were shocked by it.

“They said ‘hold on, you work for the police and yet you’re going to go to work and get racially abused. What hope have we got then if, as a police officer, you are getting racially abused?

“What they were saying was right. If I was dealing with a member of the public who was being racially abused, I would take it very seriously and understand how distressing it is.

“And I’m no different, really, in this situation.”

He added: “Later that night, once again I got racially abused. I was fuming and couldn’t sleep. I was very upset. I was considering my future in policing.”

Sandeep wants to use his experiences to help others, and has been brought onto the Race Action Plan by Chief Superintendent Suk Verma.

“When they approached me I didn’t want it to be another let’s talk about it, let’s have meetings about it,” Sandeep said.

“I’m an action type of person.

“So off my own back, I thought why not have these drop-in sessions.

“I’m listening and speaking to someone who is in a position I’ve been in.

“I’ve got that lived experience. I can share that difficulty.”

Sandeep hopes his drop-in sessions will be attended by white colleagues to help them understand not just the racism that ethnic minority officers might face, but also to understand cultural and religious requirements.

Ethnic minority

Sandeep, who is supporting Nottinghamshire Police Federation on race and diversity, said: “While many ethnic minority officers were born in England, we still have strong connections to our heritage and have to abide by religious and cultural duties.

“For example, when my wife’s grandmother passed away, as a son-in-law I was expected to be there on certain days, to support my family. And people coming in of the same culture would expect sons-in-law to be there.”

He added: “I want to invite people to the drop-in sessions who want to learn, and with my understanding of different cultures and religions, I can answer a lot of questions they will have.

“If I can’t, I will approach colleagues from other faiths in the organisation and can get answers to the questions being asked.

“People have already reached out to me.

“I’ve got professional development officers who are dealing with issues with minority ethnic officers asking me what something means.

“For me, it’s better to have a conversation with someone who wants to be there than making it mandatory.”

Members can email Sandeep for more information.

READ MORE: Study will consider link between traumatic stress and misconduct.