The UK's highest-ranking Asian Muslim police officer, he often used his position to comment on issues of alleged racism in the police service, and on alleged discrimination against Muslims as a factor inciting radical Islam. In June 2008 he accused his own force of racism, claiming that, inter alia, he was not properly consulted over the proposed law involving 42-day detentions for terror suspects. The MPS rejected the claim of racism and said it would "robustly challenge" Mr Ghaffur's claim at any employment tribunal.