IS THE MET POLICE TRYING TO CHANGE?

A BRIEF HISTORY OF UK POLICE

First there were Night Watchmen to patrol provincial areas, they were paid. Later a Magistrate set up the Bow Street Runners who operated from Bow Street, London. Then as the ports got busier River Police were employed. Then a man named Robert Peeler decided with others probably Politicians or Business men, as one must protect one’s businesses from thieves; set up the Met in 1829. That’s where the name ‘Bobbies’ came from and Peelers but the latter didn’t make it into the 20th century.

CAN THE MET EVEN CHANGE?

Usually after some catastrophe we get the Mets attention after consultative community groups demand an answer. The Black community know we are targeted for stop & search whether we are on foot or in our vehicles. The Police say its not us (being Black) why we are stopped its the evidence.

THE FACTS

However, the ‘positive outcome’ of stop and search (being charged/convicted) for Black people was consistently less than for whites. In May 2020 14.6 per cent of searches of Black people led to a positive outcome in May, against 19.3 per cent for white people. It was 22.1 per cent in November, 2020 against 23.7 per cent for white people.  (Financial Times, 06/01/21). However, many believe these figures are due to Black people being charged with minor drug offences, which to the Police justifies the search.

THE TASK TO CHANGE

After each sit down with the community the Police either justify their actions or decide to take a look at them. After Stephen Lawrence was murdered in 1993 an Inquiry was held where serving Police Officers with no shame, informed that their work in investigating the murder was ‘solid’ Police work. Most of us who attended, finally discovered what the media meant when they often described ‘kangaroo courts’. Although this reference was generally used to refer to Tribunals in ‘non-Western’ countries.

WHAT ANOTHER REPORT!

Thankfully, Sir William Macpherson, a retired high court judge and former soldier, was the chair. He was advised by Tom Cook, a retired deputy chief constable, Dr John Sentamu, the Bishop for Stepney, and Dr Richard Stone, the chair of the Jewish Council for Racial Equality. They concluded what Black people had known within weeks of stepping off the SS Windrush or a BOAC airplane. Moreover, this had been discussed in youth centres, comprehensive schools and over rice & peas and chicken on many a Sunday that the Police were institutionally racist.

70 RECOMMENDATIONS

I don’t plan to go through them here, but one noticeable change was that Police investigating ‘hate’ crime improved. There was no recommendation on changing ‘stop & search’ hence no change in that area. Although more Global Majority people where recruited, they were the first to be sacked for misconduct or the Met had problems retaining them. They seem to be in a hurry to leave!

WHY WE JOIN THE POLICE TO LEAVE

The BBC documentary in October 2003 exposed so much racism at a national Police Training Centre, we know why people leave. As a result of that documentary ‘The Secret Policeman’ five officers resigned, and12 are disciplined. Three Forces announce they are to review every case handled by the officers identified.

THE WINDRUSH CELEBRATIONS BURGESS PARK, SOUTHWARK

On Sunday 26th June, 2022

I approached the Police booth for a ‘free’ cup of tea. You know there isn’t anything free in life and when I saw the chairs, I prepare my daughter, that she would be the target. May be they thought I was too old or something. However, I had considered joining the Police once but decided against it for all the reasons above and beyond.

THE CONVERSATION

My teenage daughter was asked by Nigel, if she ever thought of joining the Police. She probably wanted to respond ‘HELL NO’ but being the polite daughter I raised she said ‘no’. When prompted why and to be ‘honest’ she responded that ‘she didn’t want to get hurt.’ The truth is my daughter is afraid of the Police. I am not hurt or surprised or anything really by this response because they are responsible for her fear.

I had an interesting conversation with them, mostly listening. BUT when I was her age I hated the Police, I didn’t fear them, again because of their behaviour towards us.

INTRODUCTIONS

We were introduced to Nigel from South London & Southwark Community Relations Team and Chris from the Black Police Association. WPC Emily pointed to Nigel as the person making the teas and he did make a good cup. Nigel discussed how engagement was key and that is why they had a booth at the Windrush Festival. He acknowledged the history of bad policing stop & search, riots and the aggressive attitudes of Police Officers. The team visits Police Training Centres to teach them about the history of lack of engagements and its significance. Many were unaware of this history, so when they came across hostility, they responded aggressively. Imagine if we did this in our jobs we’d be out of one very soon!

BETTER DO SOMETHING THAN NOTHING

However, he knew this team had a lot of work to do. Considering all the years of oppression he was right. Reminded me of former Commissioner Cressida Dick in February 2019, when she said that the Police was no longer ‘institutionally racist’! Did someone tell her to say that? But admitted ‘the Force would be disproportionately white for another 100 years’.

WE NEED TO FORMALLY COMPLAIN

I actually enjoyed the conversation with Chris and Nigel. I liked that Nigel was positive and encouraged us to complain about Police Officers who gave the uniform a bad name. He said that was one of the ways they would get individual officers to change. I agreed about the complaints. I told him my concerns were that these initiatives were ongoing as long as the funding was there. If those at the top, whether Politicians or Senior Officers do not allow these initiatives to continue; my teenage daughter’s grandchildren will be experiencing the same.

HOW COMMITTED IS THE GOVERNMENT

The Government is aware of the Police’s behaviour, Mayor Khan gave the Commissioner a piece of his mind. Theresa May as Home Secretary, published reforms on Stop & Search, she threatened ‘follow the codes’ or we’ll bring in Statutory Regulations. The Senior Officers probably said ‘we’re so afraid’!

GOVERNMENT HELPFUL OR HELPLESS

The problem is the Government has left the Police to do what they want for so long. The Police have become a law amongst themselves, literally. Consider when the documentary ‘The Secret Policeman’ came out by the BBC, it was discovered that the Home Office tried to ban it! Why wouldn’t they want the world to see the racist new recruits at a national training centre? Why would the same office that a former Prime Minister was the head of not want that image out there? To me this looks like collusion.

CHANGE FOR SOME

These are the type of Police Officers the Black community has been complaining of for decades. It took Sarah Evers death at the hand of a Police Officer for those with some power to make a decision. Unfortunately, not a decision that is going to improve how the Police responds to the Black community.

THE NATIONAL BLACK POLICE ASSOCIATION

Whatever decision they make or whoever they replace Dame Cressida Dick with, will unlikely do anything to improve our treatment by the Police. Chris from the Black Police Association told me something I didn’t know. We can actually make complaints through the Black Police Association. The regular Police will continue to do what they do. The Community Relations Teams will do what they do whilst they are funded. And we the people have to increase our complaints against the Police. Something is better than nothing.

Take Care,

Akilah