MPA priority Met Police recruitment

15/00
31 August 2000

The Chair of the Metropolitan Policy Authority, Toby Harris, today called for the immediate lifting of the barriers to recruitment in the Metropolitan Police Service recently identified by the Met’s Recruitment Task Force.

The Chair was speaking following the Prime Minister’s official opening of the Metropolitan Police’s new Careers Office at New Scotland Yard, Victoria Street, this morning.

The Chair said:

"Whilst the nationwide police recruitment advertising campaign now underway is good news, I am calling on the Met to bring down the present barriers to recruitment, identified by the Task Force, with all speed. "Whilst the Authority is totally opposed to any lowering of the standards, there is no doubt that the Met has been losing out to other police forces due to differing recruitment criteria in some areas.

"For instance, not all tattoos are taboo. But they do have to be conducive with the standards expected of a police officer. A tattoo on the face clearly could not be accepted nor ones that are rude, lewd, crude, racist, sexist or homophobic not be acceptable. The Met is right to be looking at these issues.

"Nationality is a complex issue. All UK police forces can accept Commonwealth citizens but would not be able to accept recruits from Europe without a change in the legislation. Perhaps this issue needs to be reviewed.

"In any event, the Authority is keen to see more young Londoners considering the police as a career and I do call on careers officers, parents and community leaders to encourage young people to consider a career in the Met".

Notes to editors

The Metropolitan Police Authority took over responsibility for the Metropolitan Police Service from the Home Secretary on 3 July. The Metropolitan Police Authority held its first meeting on 26 June, 2000 at which Lord Toby Harris was elected Chair and Peter Herbert and Richard Barnes were elected Deputy Chairs.

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