Met Inspector Held Over Racism Claim

A Metropolitan Police inspector has been arrested on suspicion of racial abuse, the force has said.

The male officer was off-duty at the time of an alleged incident in Barnet, north London, on Monday evening.

He was arrested the following day and has been suspended while the incident is investigated by the force's Directorate of Professional Standards and the Independent Police Complaints Commission .

"The male officer was arrested on suspicion of a Section 4 Public Order Act offence (racially aggravated words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress)," a force spokesman said.

"He is at present on police bail and has been suspended from duties pending the outcome of the criminal investigation."

The allegation is the latest in a series of race-related claims made against Met Police officers which are under investigation.

They include the case of PC Alex MacFarlane, 52, who will face criminal charges after being accused of racially abusing a suspect during last summer's riots.

The alleged incident was recorded on a mobile phone. He will appear before magistrates in May charged with a public order offence.

Last week, black firefighter Edric Kennedy-Macfoy claimed he was assaulted and tasered by a group of police officers because of his skin colour.

The 28-year-old, who has lodged an official complaint, also said he was insulted and arrested without good cause when he went to assist the six policemen while off-duty as they were dealing with a disturbance last September.

©Sky News