Brit Police Demand Ethnicity Before Investigating Crime

(Berkshire, England) A clergyman called the police department's non-emergency number to report a burglary at St. Michael's Church and the operator demanded to know his ethnic background before she would send an officer to investigate.

The Rev Simon Lane, 60, said that the woman also asked for his date of birth, claiming that the details were necessary if she was to give him a crime reference number.

Thames Valley Police said the information was needed to comply with the Race Relations Act, and to monitor which types of people were most often the victim of particular crimes.

The Home Office said there was no such requirement, however, a Thames Valley spokesman said the ethnic questions were part of a "best practice" but not mandatory.

This whole episode is ludicrous, however, it's to be expected when bookkeepers tell crime fighters how to do their jobs.