A chief constable has condemned the portrayal of Muslims in a police magazine cartoon, describing it as offensive and sacrilegious.
The Police Federation magazine cartoon shows officers taking their shoes off outside a mosque, as a bearded man escapes clutching bags of explosives.
Bedfordshire's chief constable Gillian Parker has written to complain.
The magazine's editor has apologised and said there was no intention to cause offence.
The cartoon was seen by Bedfordshire Police as an attempt to mock the force's advice to officers to remove their shoes before entering Muslim properties.
Ms Parker wrote: "The stereotypical portrayal of religious communities and the use of places of worship in a sacrilegious manner are bound to offend.
"Insensitive actions only serve to make our life more difficult."
She said: "We have worked hard over an extended period of time to achieve relationships and I feel that the stereotypical portrayal of Muslims as terrorists has unnecessarily jeopardised this.
"Where it is feasible to do so we continue to consider the individual customs of all communities when we enter their homes and places of worship; I make no apology for this." |