CEO of the National Centre for Diversity, Solat Chaudhry says “My opinion is very strong: the police should stop all attempts to recruit people from diverse backgrounds”.
Diversity – or the lack of it – has been a much contested issue amongst the Police forces of England and Wales, for many years, and it has been brought further into the forefront with reports such as the MacPherson report on the Stephen Lawrence case, published in 1999. In recent weeks politicians such as Theresa May have also added comment to the diversity of the public services in England, by calling for the diversity of our white dominated male Fire Service workforce, to be transformed.
In 2015, 5.5% of police officers were from a BME background, compared to 14% of the population*, with this data it is little wonder that some communities have commented that their local public service providers do not reflect the diversity of the community they are serving.
However, Solat, who has previously been a member of the police force for 5 years, and also founded the Lancashire Black Police Association in the early ‘90s, spoke about a need for a dramatic culture change within the Police force; “In my experience most Police Officers are decent people, but the culture is not fit for purpose for today’s society. Culture drives behaviour. The power of the white, male, macho dominated canteen culture dictates behaviour as much today as it did 30 years ago. This culture causes people from diverse backgrounds to ‘fail’”.
“I have always been disturbed by the bounce rate of ethnic minorities in the Police Service i.e. those that joined up and then were bounced out. I don’t say this out of sour grapes because, overall, I had a very positive 5 years in the job. I say this because I saw the way that other ethnic minority officers were treated and it was actually scary at times”
Solat went on to add “The Police most often view grievances as a personal affront and unleash the ‘dogs of hell’ on the poor individual raising the grievance. There have been all sorts of recent stories of how the Police service discredits those making complaints. The families of the 96 know this better than anyone”.
“There is a ‘them and us’ mentality and in-group culture running rampant within the service. I speak to colleagues in the service and they tell me things have not got any better since the days we were forming the Black Police Association in the early 90’s and many ethnic minority officers believe it has got worse.”
The Police service as a whole is ‘culturally exclusive’. The culture needs to be de-constructed and created afresh and it has to come from the top down as well as grass roots up.
A recruitment drive is often not the answer to improving diversity in an organisation. It has to start with the culture those new recruits are entering into. Police forces have to create cultures which are inclusive, where people from different backgrounds feel welcome and safe. It is a dangerous enough job, without having to watch your back from within.
The business case for racial and religious diversity within the Police Service is crystal clear. In these days of terrorism (hate based, religious based or republican based) the key to fighting it will be working with people from different backgrounds – particularly different religious backgrounds. Having this kind of diversity would extend the ability of the Police force’s ability to engage, at an early stage, with those at the risk of becoming radicalised.
Officers from different races and faith communities will have an understanding, affinity and connection with different groups of the community and they will have networks that they may be able to tap into, both to receive, and to provide, information.
Teresa May knows this, and that why she is piling on the pressure. But to start a new recruitment strategy within these services, without addressing the barriers which are preventing those who are from a BME background (as well as those who might also qualify under other sections of the Equality Act 2010’s 9 protected characteristics) from applying for and surviving in jobs, would not resolve the issue of diversity in the long-term.
If the culture of the Police, the Fire service and other public services is not improved so as to engage a diverse workforce, that diverse workforce will find employment with an organisation which is far more equitable and inclusive.
*Source: House of Commons Home Affairs Committee police diversity report
