Tonight:
4°c
Call for black police boycott 'has failed'
Justin Davenport, Crime Correspondent31 Oct 2008
A CALL by a black police group for a recruitment boycott of the Met has failed to have any effect, it was claimed today.
Senior Scotland Yard officials said the number of applications to join the force from people from ethnic minorities had not fallen since the appeal was made earlier this month by the Metropolitan Black Police Association.
The association claims the Met is still beset with institutional racism that prevents ethnic minority officers from advancing through the ranks.
Today Martin Tiplady, the force's director of human resources, said: "We have been recruiting between one in five and one in four applicants from ethnic minorities and that is holding up."
The Met is facing one of the worst race rows in its history. It has seen Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur and Commander Ali Dizaei suspended, and outgoing Commissioner Sir Ian Blair denounced as a racist, a claim he denies.
Reader views (8)
The Black Police Association is a rascist organisation with a dodgy financial record.
Will the Home Office please stop funding divisive 'charities' within what should be a British Police Force.
This would include funding other minority groups who get less attention, but are divisive in more subtle ways.
- Cap, London,UK, 03/11/2008 08:50
Report abuse
Good to read David Michael's comments. I am a white, retired police officer from a County Force and I have known and admired David for many years. When we were both serving officers I often sought his advice and guidance over BME issues within my own force and this was always provided in a constructive and objective manner. One thing that really impressed me with David was that in spite of issues he had personally experienced in the Met he could always see the ‘bigger picture’ and never allowed his own experiences to cloud his judgement. He has remained proud to have served the Met and, now retired, it is good to see that he remains a positive influence for anyone thinking of joining the Met.
- Dave Jones, Preston, England, 31/10/2008 16:43
Report abuse
Instead of discouraging black people from joining the Police, why don't these people have the courage of their convictions and resign?
- Ted, London, 31/10/2008 16:05
Report abuse
We black people need jobs too. Policemen get paid very well indeed and retire early. Who can blame them for wanting to join?
- Keith Price, Luton, England, 31/10/2008 15:59
Report abuse
I am very glad to hear that the BPA call to boycott by BMe recruits has failed. If there was any principle involved, those calling for the boycott would resign from the Met but they haven't. I wrote to the Evening Standard and did interviews in the South London Press and Lewisham Mercury strongly condemning the call to boycott by the BPA. The BPA is a relevant Support Network and is not racist in concept but I understand why some people find it difficult to appreciate the reasons for its being. However, at a time when we need the Service more than ever to represent the Diversity of London, for effective policing of youth on youth violence and policing terrorism, the call by the BPA could not have been more ill-conceived ill-timed and badly thought out. This is more to do with the poor leadership and lack of perspective of present Chair of the BPA Alfred John, Commander Ali Dizaei and their supporters, than the BPA as an organisation working in the best interests of Londoners and the Metropolitan Police Service.
- David Michael, Detective Chief Inspector (Retired) Former Chair, Met Bpa, Lewisham, London, 31/10/2008 14:54
Report abuse
Good to hear.
It seems there is only one form of racism that is prevalent in the Met, and that is a black only organisation.
- Frank, Home Counties, England, 31/10/2008 11:50
Report abuse
So now let the Met have no more to do with the 'Metropolitan Black Police Association', an organisation which clearly discriminates against those it defines as not being black; unless of course it can demonstrate that it allows non black police officers to be members.
- Peter Haldane, London, 31/10/2008 11:41
Report abuse
Let’s hope that this is an indication that the new ethnic minority officers joining the Met, having ignore the shoddy advice of the BPA, will not join this racist cabal and will serve with the dignity so lacking in the upper echelons of the BPA.
- Gary, london, 31/10/2008 11:35
Report abuse
