Fatefully, perhaps, it was the year in which the force was accused of institutional racism after the murder of Stephen Lawrence. Once at the Met, Dizaei quickly showed his willingness to speak out, accusing the force of “ethnic cleansing” by using “culturally-biased” tests to pick white officers for senior ranks. But he was also secretly suspected of wrongdoing himself. In 2000, he became the target of Operation Helios – which was to turn into the most expensive inquiry ever held into a single officer. At an eventual cost of £2.2m, Dizaei’s own colleagues investigated him over allegations of perverting the course of justice, misconduct in public office and making false expense claims.
