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This page contains press release 126/02, in which Toby Harris, MPA Chair, makes a statement following the Damilola review.
Warning: This is archived material and may be out of date. The Metropolitan Police Authority has been replaced by the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPC).
See the MOPC website for further information.
Damilola review – statement by Toby Harris, MPA Chair
126/02
9 December 2002
“The Metropolitan Police Authority puts an absolute priority on raising the level of confidence and trust people of London have in their police. And with that priority in mind I am glad to be able to reinforce the Commissioner’s message about the findings of this very thorough and independent review.
“The outcome of the trial of those accused of Damilola’s tragic murder was of course a terrible disappointment for all those who sought justice. And his death, in that sordid and dreadful way, was devastating. Nothing in today’s report minimises that.
“The panel combined a true understanding of the concerns of Londoners, black communities in particular, with extensive policing professionalism. That they concluded that the investigation was innovative, committed and well resourced is a positive finding.
“But what Authority members and I really welcome – and want to emphasise today - is the statement that the MPS response is a manifest example of how the Met has moved on since the investigation into the murder of Stephen Lawrence in 1993. That was almost ten years ago. Those of us who have regular dealings with the MPS have been confident for some time that the organisation changed profoundly as a result of the lessons learnt in the Lawrence Inquiry. This review, led by Bishop Sentamu, gives concrete evidence that that is the case.
“I welcome the commitment to take the recommendations forward and the MPA will be scrutinising the product of Tarique Ghaffur’s study. We will also be discussing, with those in a position to take action, the worrying concerns about aspects of the criminal justice system.
“I believe this report will increase the confidence of our communities in the service they can expect from the MPS. No child should have died in the way Damilola did. We must now build on the lessons of this independent review to ensure that we are even better placed to cope in the future if any such tragedy occurs again.”
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