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Boris launches Met racism inquiry

06/10/2008

Mayor of London Boris Johnson has ordered an inquiry into allegations of racism within the Metropolitan police force.

Mr Johnson announced the inquiry into "race and faith issues" within the police service when he chaired a meeting of the Metropolitan police authority (MPA) for the first time on Monday.

"Policing a multi-cultural capital requires the police to have the full confidence of the communities they serve as well as its own staff. It is important that all staff are confident and open about race and faith issues, as this will impact positively on service delivery," Mr Johnson said.

"Having become chairman of the MPA I have decided the authority needs to be assured that the changes put in place by the [Met] over the past years have indeed taken hold. If not the MPA should make recommendations for positive change."

"Clearly the issues of race and discrimination in the Metropolitan police must be examined. That is why I have asked Cindy Butts to look at some key questions, such as the progression of Black and ethnic minority candidates through the ranks of the service, the relation between staff associations and management, and the extent to which there is visible and effective leadership around race and faith issues."

The move came as the Metropolitan Black Police Association said that it would "actively discourage" black and Asian recruits from joining Britain's largest force, claiming there existed "a hostile atmosphere where racism is allowed to spread".

The association said that from today it would boycott all recruitment drives initiated by the Met aimed at attracting black and ethnic minority recruits and police staff.

"The Metropolitan police under the current management and supervision of the Metropolitan police authority have made the working environment for its existing black staff a hostile atmosphere where racism is allowed to spread and those who challenge it are either suspended, told to shut up or subtly held back in relation to career development," a statement declared.

The association claims the suspensions of Commander Ali Dizaei and Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur were proof that ethnic minority officers were being treated less favourably within the police force.

Mr Ghaffur was temporarily suspended by Met Commissioner Sir Ian Blair after he held a public press conference claiming he had been racial discriminated against.

In an interview with the BBC Panorama programme Kent Chief Constable Mike Fuller added that black and Asian officers often had to work twice as hard as their white colleagues to gain recognition and progress their careers.

"Black and ethnic minority officers will often have to work twice as hard to be recognised, to compete with their peers and that is a big concern," he told the programme.