Statement by the Metropolitan Police Authority regarding allegations of racism

8 October 2004

Reports of allegations of racism made against the Metropolitan Police Authority by a former employee contain grossly misleading and indefensible statements, which we most strongly refute.

The allegations contained in two newspaper reports are unsubstantiated and we deplore the way in which accusations have been made against us as if they were fact.

Julia Smith left the organisation after a long period of unresolved tension. She claimed that she had been discriminated against. In 2003 a senior HR officer from another organisation investigated her concerns and following a lengthy and detailed inquiry he found there was no evidence of discrimination.

In early 2004, following a reorganisation of senior policy positions (recommended by external management consultants), differences arose between Mrs Smith and the MPA which led to a voluntary agreement to leave the MPA, with a payment by way of compensation. The fact that Mrs Smith is black was and remains irrelevant in the way in which we dealt with the matter.

We have taken this highly unusual step to refute publicly Mrs Smith’s allegations because of the misrepresentation of the facts and the need to inform our partners and the wider public that we remain committed to promoting racial harmony and celebrating our diversity. We will continue to work for greater diversity and will always deplore the expression of racism in any form.

Regarding the outstanding employment tribunal cases brought by two serving members of our staff, we strongly contest their claims, which were found to be groundless by an experienced independent investigator. We will make no further comment until the conclusion of these cases.

We pride ourselves on our diversity as an organisation, which we see as a major strength in our work generally and in promoting diversity in the Metropolitan Police in particular. In fact, we believe we have more people from black and minority communities, proportionate to our size, of any similar organisation in the country, and follow a code of conduct that embraces the best tenets of employment best practice, for all of our staff. Of the 23 members of the MPA, eight are either black or Asian, including the two deputy chairs of the Authority.

The MPA has been at the forefront of promoting racial harmony through our pioneering work on implementing Recommendation 61 of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry - the recording of police stops; our integral support for the London-wide Race Hate Crimes Forum; through the work of our equal opportunities and diversity board; our commitment to creating a police service that is truly representative of the diverse communities it serves; and a host of other initiatives to encourage inclusivity.

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