London mayor orders police racism probe

LONDON: London Mayor Boris Johnson said he would launch an inquiry into racism within the capital’s police force as its Black Police Association urged minority recruits to boycott the service. The moves will add further pressure to the Metropolitan Police Service following the resignation last week of its Commissioner Ian Blair after months of criticism of his leadership and his handling of major investigations.

Among other issues Blair had become embroiled in a high profile row with Britain’s highest ranking Muslim officer, Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur, who accused him of racial discrimination.

Johnson said the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA), which oversees policing in London, would conduct a inquiry into ‘race and faith issues’ within the force. “Policing a multicultural capital requires the police to have the full confidence of the communities they serve as well as its own staff,” he said.

MPA member Cindy Butts, who will lead the racism inquiry, told BBC that London’s force had improved ‘by leaps and bounds’ since the 1999 Macpherson report into the murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence which said the Met was institutionally racist. But she said problems remained with race issues within the service.

The Metropolitan Black Police Association said it would boycott all drives aimed at attracting minority recruits. Alfred John, chairman of the association, said the boycott was being called to publicise the lack of progress of black staff through the force’s ranks, which he said was worse than a decade ago. “There are less black and minority staff and officers in senior positions now than there were before the Macpherson report, despite the fact that there are over 2,000 more minorities working for the organisation,” he said.