MPA response to the NBPA announcement to discourage members of ethnic minorities from becoming police officers

76/03
08 October 2003

Responding to the National Black Police Association comments, Toby Harris, Chair of the MPA, said:

“The Metropolitan Police Authority has already announced the setting up of a wide-ranging independent inquiry into the handling of internal investigations and grievances within the Metropolitan Police Service.

“This is a landmark decision by the Authority to find answers to concerns about the perceptions held of racial discrimination and unfairness in the way some of the Met’s internal investigations are conducted.

“The MPA is fully and unequivocally committed to continue to work with the National Black Police Association and all of the Metropolitan Police staff associations to ensure that their concerns are also addressed as part of the inquiry.

“The call by the National Black Police Association today for people from ethnic minorities not to join the Metropolitan Police is extremely disappointing and contradicts one of the NBPA’s own stated objectives to work towards improving the recruitment, retention and progression of staff members within the police service. I therefore ask them to reconsider their position and withdraw the call for a boycott and work with us to build upon the very positive steps the police service has taken in general, and the Metropolitan Police Service in particular, in bringing about an equitable and fair working environment. I will be writing to Ray Powell, President of the NBPA in these terms and I will make the same points personally to Leroy Logan, chair of the Metropolitan BPA when I meet him tomorrow for what I hope will be constructive talks.

“I’m sure he will agree that the police and, more importantly, the communities they serve, have benefited enormously in recent years from the growth in the number of black and minority ethnic police recruits, which has strengthened community confidence and trust in police. We cannot afford to damage or impede this progress. That would benefit no one, least of all, the very talented and dedicated minority ethnic officers now working to make our neighbourhoods and our streets safer. “

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