Police initiative to combat racism accused of being racist

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By Sima KotechaBritish Editor, BBC Newsnight

1 hour ago

An initiative to tackle racism in policing in England and Wales is itself facing allegations of racism from some ethnic minority staff involved.

The Police Race Action Plan was launched after African American George Floyd was murdered in the United States in 2020.

It aims to help police build better relationships with black communities.

However, BBC Newsnight spoke to former staff members who said their views were ignored.

A black person, who asked to remain anonymous, told the BBC she believed people like them were seen as “troublemakers or difficult” to give their views.

They said: “There was open discussion about whether black people were even needed to work on the plan. I felt my voice growing and – at times – my lived and professional experience being ignored.”

The staff member added that they were treated differently than their white colleagues, setting an example of not being offered more support when the workload increased.

The National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) developed the race action plan with the College of Policing.

Published last May, it says: “We accept that policing still contains racism, discrimination and prejudice. We are ashamed of these truths, we apologize for them, and we are determined to change them. We have a lot to do to gain the trust of black people. people, including our own staff, and improve their policing experience – and we will. »

“Completely disillusioned”

NPCC chairman and head of the police race action plan, Chief Constable Gavin Stephens, said he was passionate about delivering “anti-discrimination and anti-racism policing”.

“I take any concerns raised internally or externally about the conduct of anyone within the police very seriously. Anyone who adopts toxic attitudes – whether racist, misogynistic, homophobic or discriminatory – does not belong to the police .”

He added that he was committed to ensuring that those who have the least trust in the police have the most opportunities to influence, “and those experiences will influence how I run the program.”

But the BBC has seen documents outlining other complaints from people from ethnic minorities involved in the scheme, some questioning the credibility of the plan and its true intentions.

Some said they felt their negative experiences were ignored because there was a desire to stay positive.

A former black member of the team said the whole process left them “completely disillusioned”.

They explained: “The fact that these behaviors (racism) were displayed in a program that was intended to ‘improve the experience of black people working or interacting with the police’ was perplexing and made me think at times how the police was serious about wanting to make tangible changes.”

Andy George, president of the National Black Police Association (NBPA), said members his organization had supported described areas where they had been marginalized and sidelined under the plan.

“Sometimes they were almost gassed on some of the issues,” he said, adding that black people sometimes feel like they are the problem and are loud and difficult.

In May, the man in charge of strategy retired. Deputy Chief Constable Tyron Joyce – one of Britain’s most senior black police officers – had faced an unreported allegation of intimidation within the unit. He did not comment on this.

In a statement, NPCC chairman Mr Stephens told Newsnight: ‘We will release an updated action plan which I am confident will bring change to our workforce and the communities we serve, which we need and deserve. We are to be judged by deeds, not words.

“I am not aware of any official complaints or allegations regarding racism. However, I am deeply saddened to hear the experiences expressed in this report. It is a stark reminder of why we need to drive change in police departments and we are more galvanized than ever to make it happen.”

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