MPA Deputy Chair calls for greater diversity across the Met

49/05
23 September 2005

Speaking at the Women’s Forum of the Metropolitan Police Service Black Police Association, Cindy Butts, deputy chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority, called for more support within the MPS to build a police service that is truly representative of all Londoners.

Cindy said:

“One of the key aims of the MPA is to make the police workforce representative of the population of London. To achieve this we need to attract a greater number of women and ethnic minority officers and staff into our organisation. We must work hard to bring about change and make the police much more flexible and workforce-friendly.

“The MPA set up the Morris Inquiry to examine professional standards and employment matters in the MPS. Recruitment was a key area scrutinised. Whatever efforts have been made in recent years to attract women and minority ethnic officers to the Met and to achieve better representation at senior levels, the fact remains that the MPS is still far from representative of Londons communities.

“Even if we are successful in recruiting more women, we are faced with a new dilemma – the ‘sticky floor syndrome’. By this we mean the women who have the talent, skills, experience, qualifications and the all-round ability to succeed and move up the promotion ladder but who don’t have the confidence to do so. We must untap the huge reservoir of female and minority ethnic talent that we have available and promote the best people – whoever they are.”

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