A SENIOR Sussex Police officer and a colleague are being investigated over “racist and offensive remarks” made to a taxi driver.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission has launched an investigation into a senior Sussex police officer and another officer following allegations about their behaviour while off-duty.

The senior officer has been notified the IPCC is considering criminal matters in relation to the offences for public order offences while his colleague is being investigated for accessing computer records following the incident.

A complaint has been made that on September 5, the two officers became argumentative with two different taxi drivers in Eastbourne.

One officer is alleged to have made threats to have the taxi licence removed from one of the drivers and during the taxi ride home it is alleged that the senior officer made racist and offensive remarks to the driver.

The taxi driver then complained to Sussex Police who referred it to the IPCC.

Sussex Police has suspended the officer with allegations of racist and offensive behaviour against him for the duration of the investigation, owing to his seniority and the seriousness of the alleged offences.

The investigation will also consider the alleged accessing of police information by the one of the officers following the incident.

The more junior officer of the pair has been notified that the IPCC is considering criminal matters in relation to offences committed under the Data Protection Act and the Computer Misuse Act, and is also under investigation for failing to adequately challenge and report the improper conduct of the other officer.

IPCC Commissioner Jennifer Izekor said: “That a senior officer has been accused of such serious and criminal misconduct in a public setting and racist behaviour towards a member of the public is of significant concern and it is therefore appropriate that the IPCC provides independent oversight of this investigation.”

Deputy Chief Constable Olivia Pinkney said: "We take any report of racism very seriously, along with any inappropriate access to police IT systems and we will co-operate with the IPCC in their investigation.

"Sussex Police cares about developing and has invested in building its relationship with BME communities, through its neighbourhood policing teams and support from an independent Race Advisory Group.

"We remain fully committed to providing a fair and non-discriminatory policing service to our communities."