Four British police officers quit on Wednesday after a British Broadcasting Corporation documentary exposed racism in the ranks.

Also see: BBC exposes racist British police

Seven recruits and an officer were identified as making racist remarks in The Secret Policeman, a BBC documentary that was made using Tehelka-style techniques.

The four were among eight recruits suspended from duty.

According to The Guardian, the Greater Manchester police announced that three of its officers had resigned. The resignations came just hours after one of the 'caught on camera' recruits from the North Wales police -- PC Rob Pulling -- had quit.

Of the remaining officers facing disciplinary action and a criminal investigation, two are from Greater Manchester, one from North Wales and one from Cheshire police.

Acting deputy chief constable of North Wales police Clive Wolfendale was quoted by the paper as saying that he felt 'physically sick' at the revelations of the documentary. 

He said the force would be writing to the family of murdered black teenager Stephen Lawrence to apologise for 'obscene' comments Pulling was seen making on the documentary.

Before it was screened, British Home Secretary David Blunkett criticised the documentary and questioned the BBC's 'intent to create, not report' the story.

"The immediate priority is to spread the new training programme that's been adopted by some forces to all forces," he had said.

Agencies