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Anti-terror police 'need Muslims' Anti-terror police 'need Muslims'
(about 3 hours later)
Urgent action is needed to boost the number of Muslim officers in counter-terrorism units, the National Association of Muslim Police says. Urgent action is needed to boost the number of Muslim officers in counter-terrorism units, the National Association of Muslim Police has said.
A survey carried out by the association and think tank Demos suggests Muslims remain under-represented in the police. Half of the 51 UK forces took part.A survey carried out by the association and think tank Demos suggests Muslims remain under-represented in the police. Half of the 51 UK forces took part.
There are 27 Muslim counter-terrorism officer, out of a total 2,300, and few officers overall in high ranks. There are 27 Muslim counter-terrorism officers out of a total of 2,300, and few officers overall in high ranks.
The association said progress on diversity was "painfully slow".The association said progress on diversity was "painfully slow".
The National Association Muslim Police (Namp) is one of a number of bodies operating among constabularies to represent officers from minority backgrounds.The National Association Muslim Police (Namp) is one of a number of bodies operating among constabularies to represent officers from minority backgrounds.
Having officers with a cultural, religious or linguistic understanding of the individuals most likely to be involved in these groups could be an invaluable head start Namp report Formed in 2007, it has support from many police chiefs, partly because of the need to encourage Muslims into the service.Having officers with a cultural, religious or linguistic understanding of the individuals most likely to be involved in these groups could be an invaluable head start Namp report Formed in 2007, it has support from many police chiefs, partly because of the need to encourage Muslims into the service.
But the association said progress on diversity was "painfully slow" a decade after the Stephen Lawrence report accused the Metropolitan Police of institutional racism. But the association's comments on the rate of progress on diversity come a decade after the Stephen Lawrence report accused the Metropolitan Police of institutional racism.
According to the figures compiled by Namp and Demos, 0.6% of all police officers are Muslim.According to the figures compiled by Namp and Demos, 0.6% of all police officers are Muslim.
In contrast, the 2001 census found that approximately 3% of the UK population was Muslim - a figure that is widely accepted to have since grown.In contrast, the 2001 census found that approximately 3% of the UK population was Muslim - a figure that is widely accepted to have since grown.
Specialist rolesSpecialist roles
The survey found similar results when it looked at progression through the ranks or into specialist areas.The survey found similar results when it looked at progression through the ranks or into specialist areas.
MUSLIM OFFICERS BY RANK Chief Superintendent: 0Superintendent: 2Chief Inspector: 7Inspector: 23Sergeant: 55Police Constable: 444 Figures from half of UK forces. Source: Namp In total, 27 of the 2,348 counter-terrorism and special branch officers identified in the survey were Muslim, equivalent to 1.1% of those captured by the survey. MUSLIM OFFICERS BY RANK Chief Superintendent: 0Superintendent: 2Chief Inspector: 7Inspector: 23Sergeant: 55Police Constable: 444 Source: Namp (Figures from half of UK forces)
In total, 27 of the 2,348 counter-terrorism and special branch officers identified in the survey were Muslim, equivalent to 1.1% of those captured by the survey. "Muslim officers are primarily concentrated in lower ranks, mainly constable," the report said.
"Muslim officers are primarily concentrated in lower ranks, mainly constable," says the association's report.
"This is to be expected given that the majority of all officers are employed at this rank too. However, the [figures] do demonstrate… the relative dearth of Muslim officers in the senior ranks."This is to be expected given that the majority of all officers are employed at this rank too. However, the [figures] do demonstrate… the relative dearth of Muslim officers in the senior ranks.
"The obvious point is the lack of Muslim officers involved in countering terrorism, given the threat is at present time from violent extremist Islamist groups linked to al-Qaeda."The obvious point is the lack of Muslim officers involved in countering terrorism, given the threat is at present time from violent extremist Islamist groups linked to al-Qaeda.
"The terror threat is not limited to al-Qaeda, or is it only Muslims that are capable of understanding Islamist terrorist activity. "The terror threat is not limited to al-Qaeda, nor is it only Muslims that are capable of understanding Islamist terrorist activity.
"However, having officers with a cultural, religious or linguistic understanding of the individuals most likely to be involved in these groups could be an invaluable head start. This is a matter of priority.""However, having officers with a cultural, religious or linguistic understanding of the individuals most likely to be involved in these groups could be an invaluable head start. This is a matter of priority."
Steve Otter, chief constable of Devon and Cornwall and the lead on race and diversity for the Association of Chief Police Officers, said top officers had supported the research. 'Language skills'
"We recognise there are challenges round progression, retention and representation of Muslim police officers in specialist areas," he said. Supt Dal Babu, of Namp, told BBC News that its members were keen to make a full contribution to fighting terrorism.
"Namp has received a lot of support from chief officers and it has a central role to play to ensure that enthusiasm and expertise of Muslim officers within the police service is put to the best use without, placing the responsibility for tackling extremism exclusively on their shoulders." FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME class="" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/default.stm">More from Today programme
He said: "What they're saying is while the threat is around al-Qaeda, they have the language skills - they can speak Punjabi, they can speak Urdu, some of the major languages some of the individuals that have been involved in bombing campaigns in this country have spoken.
"They also have that general understanding around Islam. It's about making sure we have those numbers there."
Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall, Steve Otter, the lead on race and diversity for the Association of Chief Police Officers, said the research was "very helpful".
"The work that we're doing across the police service is very much about working with our minority officers, not just Muslim officers but across the board, to increase their confidence and help them understand how to move forward into specialist posts," he said.