Metropolitan Police Authority - removing barriers that effect deaf and disabled Londoners in times of emergency

47/07
3 October 2007

The way in which the Metropolitan Police Service responds to the specific needs of London’s deaf and disabled communities in the event of a major emergency in the capital will be examined by the Metropolitan Police Authority tomorrow (4 October).

The MPA’s Equal Opportunities & Diversity Board look at how the Met has implemented recommendations made to it by deaf and disabled people at a conference held last year jointly by the MPA and Transport for London.

Kirsten Hearn, EODB chair, said:

“The terrorist incidents of July 2005 raised considerable concern among London’s deaf and disabled communities about how their specific and access needs would be met in the event of another major emergency.

"Although things have moved forward to some extent they haven’t gone far enough and the Met must do much more to address our anxiety of what might happen next time.

“Many deaf and disabled people's encounters with police are still negative, and the Met needs to show it is taking these issues seriously and is listening to deaf and disabled people in order to build confidence and gain trust. It’s no good simply talking about changing; we need to see some real and positive action. The Met agreed to implement last year 16 key recommendations which came directly from deaf and disabled delegates attending our conference. But quite frankly, we have been frustrated by the lack of progress.

“We want an assurance this work is now a priority, and the Met will involve deaf and disabled people in the planning, organising, decision-making and delivery of emergency plans for London.

“Deaf and disabled people want to see action to remove the barriers that society places in front of them. This is important enough in everyday life, but can be a life or death matter in times of emergency.”

Notes to editors

Last year the MPA and Transport for London hosted the London Emergency Planning (Resilience) Conference to provide an opportunity for deaf and disabled people to speak directly to the key decision-makers responsible for emergency planning in London, and for those agencies to explain what work they had done to date to make London safer for all. More than 150 people attended and deaf and disabled people made 53 recommendations to the key agencies, 16 of which applied directly to the Met.

The committee papers for the meeting of the MPA Equal Opportunities & Diversity Board (EODB) on 4 October can be viewed at: www.mpa.gov.uk/committees/eodb/2007/071004/default.htm

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