MPA Chair calls for urgent work with Black Police Association to ensure fairness of treatment for all

86/03
30 October 2003

The on-going and urgent joint work to ensure that police officers, police staff and the wider communities they serve are treated fairly must be “reinforced and reinvigorated”, Toby Harris, Chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority, said today.

Speaking at the annual general meeting of the Metropolitan Black Police Association, Toby Harris, said:

“The last few weeks have been uniquely difficult. It began with the Black Police Association and the National Black Police Association publicly stating that they could no longer encourage black and ethnic minority recruits to join the force following the second acquittal of Supt. Ali Dizaei.

“It culminated with the sickening impact of the BBC programme The Secret Policeman. At this morning’s full Authority meeting that programme was explicitly welcomed as a service to policing as a wake-up call, albeit of the most distressing nature, which confirmed what you and we already know - that despite real and sustained effort, there is still a cancer of racism within policing.

“We have all bought in to the truth that until the MPS is more representative in the make up of its workforce, it cannot command the confidence of the communities it polices. And that is of course true. But while racism is still a real and intimidating element in society the police service absolutely must not reflect society. It must instead be an exemplar of what we all want society to be.

“And the message? The urgency of our joint work to shift the culture, to ensure fairness of treatment to our own staff as well as those who we police must be reinforced and reinvigorated.

“I know that the BPA’s response to the acquittal of Supt. Dizaei momentarily halted that joint work. I am very pleased that through strenuous and accommodating effort by all parties and of course your officers, it has been possible for Ali Dizaei to resume his police career.

“Part of the settlement that has been achieved recognises the need to make a fundamental change in internal processes around grievance, complaints and disciplinary processes. You know that members of the Authority share your longstanding frustration at the apparent inability of the MPS to change these internal practices particularly as they affect your members. I believe we know what the problems are - getting them solved is the challenge.

“That is why we have set up a high profile independent inquiry into just these issues. I hope to be able to announce the chair and final terms of reference of the inquiry very soon - I have been consulting your Chairman Leroy Logan and his colleagues on the executive about the make up of the panel.

“Let me make it quite clear that I am determined that the inquiry will be rigorous, transparent, incisive and that it will produce clear, focussed recommendations which will lead to action. We will not let this slip into the long grass. That is an absolute commitment.

“For all of us here the fair and effective policing of London is our absolute priority. Without joint working and your wholehearted commitment and energy the MPS, however well intentioned, will fail. We must and cannot let this happen. I look forward with confidence to the progress we together can make in the next twelve months.”

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