BRITAIN'S first black policeman claims officers were disrespectful when they stopped him near his home in Kenton.

Norwell Roberts joined the Metropolitan Police in 1967 and received the Queen's Police Medal for Distinguished Service (QPM), one of the highest honours for an officer.

The 65-year-old regularly goes for walks near his home in Ivanhoe Drive, at around 4am, and says he walks down the middle of the quiet side roads to avoid tripping over the uneven pavement.

But a fortnight ago, he was stopped while out walking and questionned by police, who showed no respect for his achievements.

The former detective sergeant, who worked in Wembley and the West End before his retirement in 1997, said he gave his details to the officers but they had never heard of the QPM and he felt they did not believe him when he explained what it was.

He said: “I didn't want to make a big thing about it, but at the same time there's a serious issue because I don't want to be spoken to like, 'Oi, what are you doing?'.”

He added: “I think the most hurtful thing of all is that the QPM isn't given away – you have to earn it. They said, 'Where did you get that?' and, 'What force was that with?'

“I don't mind being stopped as long as it's polite.”

Mr Roberts claimed he suffered similar treatment when he was stopped by police around six or nine months ago.

On both occasions he said officers gave him a reason for the stop as an “afterthought,” saying there had been a large number of burglaries in the area.

He said: “If they put my back up, then if I see something going on I'll be very reluctant to ring up the police. I'll think, 'I'm not talking to that lot'. You help the police and the police help you."

In a letter to the Harrow Times Mr Roberts questioned the quality of training given to young officers.

He said: "Perhaps their training needs to be adjusted if they are to maintain the support and respect of all of their public, and the respect, which I enjoyed during my service. Stopping members of the public isn't a problem, but the initial approach has to be right."

Chief Superintendent Richard Walton, borough commander for Harrow, said: “Norwell Roberts is someone we greatly respect.

“As the first black police officer in the Met, his letter is very interesting and I intend to take forward some of the issues he raises.

“In particular I want my officers to speak to the public very politely and to give the public the respect they deserve.”

However, he said he did not blame the officers for not knowing what the QPM was, saying young policemen might not be familiar with the honour.