MPS Race Equality Scheme

Report:11
Date: 02 September 2004
By: Commissioner

Summary

This report outlines the historical and current progress made by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) in producing a compliant Race Equality Scheme (RES), in accordance with the requirements of their statutory duty under section 71(1) and (2) of the Race Relations Act 1976, as amended.

It outlines the observations and criticisms made, in respect of the MPS RES by the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE), and seeks to re-state the total commitment of the MPS to achieve full compliance as illustrated by the actions being currently undertaken within the organisation.

A. Recommendations

That members comment on the progress made by the MPS in producing a compliant Race Equality Scheme.

B. Supporting information

Background

1. Section 71(1) and (2) of the Race Relations Act 1976 (Statutory Duties) Order 2001 as amended by the Race Relations (amendment) Act 2000, required that all public bodies should produce a Race Equality Scheme that clearly identified their commitment to the general duty, by mainstreaming into its policies and procedures in carrying out of its public functions, the need to;

• Eliminate unlawful racial discrimination
• Promote equality of opportunity; and
• Promote good relations between people of different racial groups.

The date set for production was 31 May 2002. In addition, there exists the duty on Police Forces and Authority’s to review their race equality duty within three years of the date set and to also monitor the various aspects of their employment procedures and policies.

2. In accordance with the legislation and in consultation with;

• Representatives from the London and South of England Region of The Commission for Racial Equality
• The Metropolitan Police Authority
• London Race Equality Councils
• London Police Consultative Groups and;
• London Boroughs

The MPS duly produced their 2002/5 MPS Race Equality Scheme within the timescale set.

Specific Requirements

3. On 14 June 2004, the CRE submitted an interim report on their Formal Investigation of the Police Service in England and Wales’. This report highlighted that 43 Race Equality Schemes (RESs) had been submitted by Police Force’s and Authority’s to the CRE. Of those, 15 had been sampled, only one of which had been found to be fully compliant. The CRE further stated that it was ‘minded’ to serve compliance notices on forces to ensure that RES’s were completed to a satisfactory standard.

4. On 15 July 2004, formal notification from the CRE was received identifying the MPS as one of the forces that had failed to produce a compliant Race Equality Scheme. The letter required that the MPS should produce a detailed response as to how the Service intended to comply with the requirements. The three specific areas of non-compliance were identified as follows:

• A statement of those functions and policies or proposed policies that the Metropolitan Police have assessed as relevant to the performance of the duty imposed by section 71(1) of the Act.
• Arrangements for training staff in connection with the duties imposed by section 71(1) of the Act.
• The MPS’s employment duty under article 5(2) of the order.

3. On 15 July 2004, the MPS formally responded to the CRE’s observations by providing action plans outlining milestones and timescales to achieving compliance. These plans were supported by documents affording explanatory contextual comment. Additionally, a copy of the MPS Race Equality Scheme Review 2003-4 (published 13 July 2004) in compliance with the requirement to review, was also attached for the consideration of the CRE. This amounts to a considerable amount of paper and it has not been appended to this report. A full copy of the documentation involved has been supplied to the Chair of the Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board.

4. On 22 July, the CRE responded by letter. The author, Graham O’Neill (legal officer to the CRE) welcomed the progress made and offered some general advice on how further improvement might be achieved; he also formally gave notice that the MPS must provide a complete and fully compliant RES by no later than 30 September 2004.

5. The creation of the new RES is, to a large extent, the bringing together of data that already exists. This will help clarify exactly what the MPS is doing and that it will meet the requirements of the CRE. The short time scales limit consultation to some extent. In this respect members of the MPS Race Relations (Amendment) Act Steering Group will be called upon to review the new document. It will be circulated as soon as possible and will be a main topic for discussion at the next scheduled meeting (14 September). The MPA are members of this group. We are confident that it is possible to meet the deadline of 30 September.

6. In compiling this report for the benefit of members, I have been invited to give comment on the ‘reasonableness’ of the CRE’s criticisms. It is the firmly held view of the MPS that ‘reasonableness’ is not the issue in this matter. The need to achieve compliance is a statutory obligation and therefore the MPS remain totally committed to achieving such compliance however challenging that may prove to be.

C. Race and equality impact

Equality and diversity is very much inherent in all aspects of this report. A compliant RES is a cornerstone to the MPS Diversity Agenda. To have a scheme that was branded as non-compliant by the CRE would clearly have an adverse impact on the confidence of both internal and external communities in the ability of the MPS to operate effectively in the area of diversity.

D. Financial implications

All costs involved in achieving compliance within the timescales set will be met from within existing budgets and structures

E. Background papers

none

F. Contact details

Report author: Sergeant Martin Larner, DCC9, Directorate of Organisational Learning

For more information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

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