The images were discovered following an investigation by the force's Professional Standards Department last March, during which almost one million staff e-mail messages were audited. The inquiry was launched by Merseyside chief constable Bernard Hogan-Howe after an inappropriate image was forwarded by a member of staff to a friend in another organisation.
The investigation audited every email attachment on the force's IT system and found 90 percent to be appropriate and directly linked to police business. But a small number of the remaining 10 percent of e-mail attachments were deemed to be "grossly offensive, homophobic or racist", according to Merseyside Police.
According to reports, the images included a black woman with a gorilla's head superimposed on her entitled "Miss Africa" and a decapitated black man's head on a spike with the message "Don't run from the police".
More than 500 police officers and staff were investigated with four police officers and three support staff receiving punishments ranging from written warnings to fines, the highest of which was £360 (US$628)--or around three days' pay. Most of the others received "letters of advice" from senior police officers.
Merseyside Police said all inappropriate material has now been removed from the force's systems and more effective firewalls and auditing procedures have been put in place.
A statement issued by the force said: "We have new policies in place to prevent this kind of behaviour in the future, and all staff are now aware that anyone breaching the email policy will face the severest of penalties."
Silicon.com’s Andy McCue reported from London.
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