MPA Chair calls for radical improvements to London's policing

30/04
21 April 2004

Toby Harris, chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority, has called for more creative thinking among London’s top cops to bring about radical improvements to policing the capital.

Speaking to a select audience of the Met’s most senior officers and staff at New Scotland Yard this morning, he said much more needs to be done to increase the rate of change and progress in a number of key areas, including the recruitment of greater numbers of people from both visible ethnic minorities and women.

Looking to the future, he said the creation of “a truly representative” police service was essential to gain the confidence and support of all London’s diverse communities.

But he warned that challenging recruitment targets set by the Home Office could not be achieved at current recruitment rates unless bold and innovative initiatives were developed.

He said that people from minority ethnic communities were still put off joining or left prematurely because of real or perceived discrimination within the police service. He also warned that much more must be done to encourage black, Asian and other minority ethnic police officers to progress through the ranks. He said too few black and Asian officers rose to senior ranks because many felt they would be exposed to racist ridicule if they put themselves forward for promotion.

Women, too, struggled to reach the top jobs in a male-dominated profession, often having to choose between a police career and family. And he called for greater family-friendly policies to encourage women to stay on or return to policing.

“How is it at the start of the 21st century we still do not reflect the rest of society not only in our ethnic mix, but the gender mix as well?” He asked.

“Why aren’t there more Met child care facilities? Where is the encouragement for women with young families to work part-time until their children are older? Where are the police officers who are allowed to job-share?

“Maybe a newspaper headline in 2014 will read: ‘Met’s first job-share women commissioners appointed’. That would be a real achievement.”

Paying tribute to the successes of the Met in tackling crime over the four years since the Authority was set up, Toby concluded:

“I for one do not think it is beyond the reach of those working for the best police service in the country to bring about further far reaching advances in the future. Be bold!”

Notes to editors

1. Toby Harris’s speech is available on the MPA website: www.mpa.gov.uk/about/speeches/2004/040421.htm  (temporarily withdrawn until after local elections)

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