Racist emails: 4 cops sacked, 15 face disciplinary action

While four have been sacked, one has been demoted, another five have been fined up to 3000 dollars and placed on 12-month good behaviour bonds for their involvement in the case.

Nine officers will front the disciplinary panel on October 12 and October 15, with six to be heard the following week, 'Herald Sun' reported today. Two officers quit rather than face the secret hearings.

Yesterday, top police officers were caught in a racist e-mail scandal joking about the electrocution of an Indian train passenger and suggesting that it could be "a way to fix the Indian student problem" in Melbourne.

The emails that were probed by the Ethical Standards Department's Operation Barrot contain pornographic, homophobic, racist and violent material.

The Victoria police officers circulated sickening video footage showing the death of the man, who was travelling on the roof of a crowded train in India, the daily reported yesterday.

Victoria Police had said that it would resume disciplinary hearings this week into the circulation of pornographic and racist emails within the force.

The newspaper said it was also discovered that some of the force's highest-ranked officers have been implicated in the scandal, which also involves pornographic material.
Three superintendents were nabbed during an investigation into the circulation of inappropriate emails through the police computer system. Several inspectors have also been caught.

State Chief Commissioner Simon Overland and Premier John Brumby had condemned the actions of the police involved.

Overland described the material as "disturbing, offencive and gross", while Brumby said the racist e-mail was "contrary to the views and values at the heart of the Victorian community".