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Specialist squads in the Metropolitan Police are running effective "closed shops" against black and ethnic minority officers, an inquiry claimed today.
The allegation is contained in an interim report released today by Mayor Boris Johnson's race and faith inquiry panel. The study says the Met's leaders must urgently identify a new "vision" to tackle racism and discrimination.
Officers must make a fresh start more than 10 years after the publication of the Macpherson report into the murder of Stephen Lawrence.
The inquiry is presenting its preliminary findings nearly a year after Mr Johnson launched it in response to a major race row in the higher echelons of Scotland Yard.
The panel was due to deliver its full report to a meeting of the Metropolitan Police Authority tomorrow - after a delay this summer - but this has been postponed for several months. Instead, the authority will debate a report entitled "emerging findings" about five key areas for study.
The panel, chaired by MPA member Cindy Butts, said it was "extremely concerned" by evidence which indicated specialist units ran "closed shops, rendering some units effectively impenetrable to black and ethnic minority officers and staff".
It found good practice in specialist squads was isolated - with the exception of the Operation Trident unit, which tackles gun crime in London's black community.
Ms Butts praised the Met for improvements in performance on race and diversity since the Macpherson report. She said: "We heard evidence of many innovative solutions ... but likewise heard many sad and disturbing accounts of discrimination from black and ethnic minority officers and staff."
The report found a "general lack of confidence" in Met promotion processes. It said Operation Trident's success went unrecognised.
Members pointed the finger at Met commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson after claims that the force "lacked direction". Many had "lost confidence" in the 50,000-strong force's diversity wing.
There was also criticism that the MPA had taken its "foot off the pedal" in overseeing the Met.
Sources close to the £100,000 inquiry say delays were caused by a row between its authors and Tory-run City Hall over its content, which City Hall denies.
Reader views (3)
"The allegation is contained in an interim report released today by Mayor Boris Johnson's race and faith inquiry panel." What is the make up of this panel? I'd wager that white Christians don't feature too largely amonst its number.
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster, 23/09/2009 23:27
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Worse still, now the special squads will have the label 'token (whatever)' added to any such members that do get on the team, and all that this implies to their credibility and worth, deserved or not.
Diversity and enforced visibility equality in action.
- Rogan, Irving, 23/09/2009 17:45
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Watch out!!!!!!
I think I can hear that compensation gravy train coming along again.
- P Staker, Londonistan., 23/09/2009 14:29
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