Behind The Blue Line

My fight against racism and discrimination in the Police

Biography & Memoir, Reference, Nonfiction, Social & Cultural Studies, Social Science
Cover of the book Behind The Blue Line by Gurpal Virdi, Biteback Publishing
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Gurpal Virdi ISBN: 9781785903441
Publisher: Biteback Publishing Publication: March 15, 2018
Imprint: Biteback Publishing Language: English
Author: Gurpal Virdi
ISBN: 9781785903441
Publisher: Biteback Publishing
Publication: March 15, 2018
Imprint: Biteback Publishing
Language: English

On Wednesday 15 April 1998, Detective Sergeant Gurpal Singh Virdi was arrested and accused of sending racist hate mail to himself and ethnic minority colleagues. Dismissed from the Metropolitan Police Service, his reputation in ruins, Virdi took his case to an employment tribunal which judged that he had been a victim of racial discrimination. Completely vindicated, Virdi was reinstated to the job he loved – but his travails were far from over. Constantly overlooked for promotion, he realised that by challenging the Met he had effectively ended his career.

Following his retirement from the force and keen to serve his local community, Virdi decided to run for election as a Labour councillor – but, prior to the election, he was arrested a second time. The allegations levelled against him were horrifying: he stood accused of sexually assaulting an underage prisoner nearly thirty years earlier. Yet when the case went to trial, a jury took less than fifty minutes to clear Virdi of all charges, with the judge noting the likelihood of a conspiracy behind the case. But the damage had been done.

Behind the Blue Line is Virdi’s deeply shocking account of how one of Britain’s biggest institutions brought the apparatus of the state to bear in a campaign to destroy the life of one of its own officers.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

On Wednesday 15 April 1998, Detective Sergeant Gurpal Singh Virdi was arrested and accused of sending racist hate mail to himself and ethnic minority colleagues. Dismissed from the Metropolitan Police Service, his reputation in ruins, Virdi took his case to an employment tribunal which judged that he had been a victim of racial discrimination. Completely vindicated, Virdi was reinstated to the job he loved – but his travails were far from over. Constantly overlooked for promotion, he realised that by challenging the Met he had effectively ended his career.

Following his retirement from the force and keen to serve his local community, Virdi decided to run for election as a Labour councillor – but, prior to the election, he was arrested a second time. The allegations levelled against him were horrifying: he stood accused of sexually assaulting an underage prisoner nearly thirty years earlier. Yet when the case went to trial, a jury took less than fifty minutes to clear Virdi of all charges, with the judge noting the likelihood of a conspiracy behind the case. But the damage had been done.

Behind the Blue Line is Virdi’s deeply shocking account of how one of Britain’s biggest institutions brought the apparatus of the state to bear in a campaign to destroy the life of one of its own officers.

More books from Biteback Publishing

Cover of the book Why I'm Right. . . by Gurpal Virdi
Cover of the book The Armed Forces and Society by Gurpal Virdi
Cover of the book Seize the Day by Gurpal Virdi
Cover of the book The End of Politcs and the Birth of iDemocracy by Gurpal Virdi
Cover of the book Black Flag Down by Gurpal Virdi
Cover of the book Shouting in the Street by Gurpal Virdi
Cover of the book The Dictionary of Conservative Quotations by Gurpal Virdi
Cover of the book Tennis Maestros by Gurpal Virdi
Cover of the book Manxiety by Gurpal Virdi
Cover of the book Inside Russian Politics by Gurpal Virdi
Cover of the book Anti-Semitism by Gurpal Virdi
Cover of the book Edwina Currie by Gurpal Virdi
Cover of the book Saving Gary McKinnon by Gurpal Virdi
Cover of the book One in the Eye for Harold by Gurpal Virdi
Cover of the book 1956 by Gurpal Virdi
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy