Officers charged over racist stubby holders used at Sunshine police station The stubby holder has been used at the Sunshine police station's drinking nights. A DOZEN police officers have been charged over racist stubby holders exposed by the Herald Sun. Victoria Police said this morning the 12 officers will now face disciplinary hearings. Three members have been suspended from the force. "Twelve police have been charged with disciplinary offences following a Victoria Police investigation into the production of inappropriate stubby holders, a photo and email use at the Sunshine police station," a Victoria Police statement read. As the disciplinary process is ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further. The Herald Sun revealed in June how police had mocked African migrants with racist stubby holders. Chief Commissioner Ken Lay immediately vowed to act against those responsible, and senior officers slammed them as "offensive." About 50 of the drink coolers were thought to have been made up for, and distributed among, officers in Sunshine, which has a large refugee community. On one side of the stubby holders is a cartoon image of a mudfish and the words: "Sunshine police. Whoever says Sunshine brings happiness has never worked here. "Mudfish" or "muddie" is derogatory slang for Africans, referencing the bottom-feeder species that is a common food source in Sudan and other countries. The other side takes a further dig at the many refugees from Sudan and other war-torn nations who do not know their date of birth, proclaiming: "My date of birth is 01/01/?" The items were produced last year and have been used regularly at the station's "mongrel" drinking nights. Tamar Hopkins, principal solicitor at Flemington and Kensington Community Legal Centre, said the stubby holders were "extremely disturbing," "appalling" and "really shocking." After being alerted to the stubby holders by the Herald Sun, Chief Commissioner Ken Lay directed the force's internal watchdog to act on the matter, which led to the 12 officers being charged with disciplinary offences. Northwest metro police commander, Assistant Commissioner Andrew Crisp, said in June he was extremely disappointed and angry, adding: "The production of these holders was utterly misguided and offensive." "This is completely at odds with the high standards the community rightly demands from its police," Mr Crisp added. We simply will not tolerate racism within the force and I think our improving track record in this regard -- which has included the expulsion of five police members for racist behaviours since 2010 -- is indicative of our determination to provide no quarter to racism within the organisation. It is absolutely vital that Victoria Police treats all communities with respect. But community solicitor Ms Hopkins told the Herald Sun: "It really reinforces the fact that there is a problem at a really deep cultural level. We're not talking about accidental over-policing but ingrained prejudices. These kinds of actions and activities are about humiliating and degrading people. Ms Hopkins said it also spoke to the force's failure to deal with racism despite promises to do so after earlier incidents involving accusations of assaults and illegal stops and searches using racial profiling against young Africans. In February the force agreed to launch a public inquiry into racism in its ranks as part of settling a Federal Court case brought by 16 Africans aged 13-20 and an Afghan man, 23.