Police chief faces sack for trying to fix job interview

ONE of Britain’s highest ranking Asian police officers could be sacked for trying to tell a colleague the questions they would be asked at interview.

Assistant Chief Constable Naveed Malik, pictured, ‘undermined the integrity of the process’ by trying to influence the interview to become chief inspector, a disciplinary hearing was told yesterday.

But the inspector, who has not been identified, wanted to get the job on merit, and reported his former mentor to bosses at Cambridgeshire Police.

Malik, who is the National Po li c e Chiefs’ Council’s lead for the recruitment of black and ethnic minority officers, has not explained why he tried to intervene in the white officer’s application.

The hearing in Wyboston, Bedfordshire, was told that 47-year- old Malik had issued orders for the officer he ‘informally mentored’ to be told the questions that would come up.

Father-of-two Malik later said in a police interview: ‘I think that was the massive error of judgment, that’s just a real stupid thing to have done, a grave error of judgment and I cannot explain it.’

Malik – third in command at his force – accepted gross misconduct had occurred after an investigation by Suffolk Police.

Chris Daw QC, representing Malik, said sacking his client for a ‘single error of judgment’ would be disproportionate after an ‘unblemished’ career.

The panel is due to recommend action today, with the force’s deputy chief constable making the final decision.