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This page contains press release 71/04, which announces that the MPA is to establish a new relationship between London’s disabled communities and the police.
Warning: This is archived material and may be out of date. The Metropolitan Police Authority has been replaced by the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPC).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.
MPA to establish a new relationship between London’s disabled communities and the police
71/04
6 October 2004
The Metropolitan Police Authority today (7 October) hosts a conference - ‘Disabled people and the police – a new relationship?’ - to explore disabled Londoner’s views of how the police can respond with more understanding to their specific requirements.
Co-ordinated for the MPA by GLAD (Greater London Action on Disability), the conference will explore how the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) can fully engage with London’s disabled communities and set a clear agenda for building a new, improved, relationship.
Kirsten Hearn, independent member of the MPA and chair of the Authority’s Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board, said:
“Historically, disabled people have felt they do not receive a fair deal when it comes to the service they get from the police – basically, as a community, they feel they and their views have been neglected.
“I want to see this situation consigned to history. The MPA is prioritising work to combat disability discrimination in policing and today’s conference is a clear sign that we are engaging with disabled people to establish just what it is that the police can do to gain their confidence and offer an improved service.
“An initial report prepared for the Authority by GLAD set out a series of recommendations, termed a ‘disability agenda’, to improve the services provided by the police to disabled Londoners. Discussions and workshops today will explore these themes further and a final strategy will then be presented to the Authority for adoption and implementation across the MPS.”
The conference will be addressed by Kirsten Hearn, Sir Ian Blair, Deputy Commissioner of the MPS who fully supports the establishment of a more equitable service for disabled Londoners, and Ossie Stuart of GLAD.
Kirsten concluded:
“I want to thank GLAD for joining with the MPA to make today possible and helping to establish a new understanding between the police and London’s disabled communities.”
Notes to editors
1. ‘Disabled people and the police – a new relationship?’ is being held at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, Broad Sanctuary, London SW1P 3EE, Thursday 7 October, 10:00 start.
2. Greater London Action on Disability (GLAD) is a pan-London community-based umbrella organisation of disabled people.
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