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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Police accused over race equality | Police accused over race equality |
| (about 22 hours later) | |
| Police forces in England and Wales are still institutionally racist despite attempts to confront the issue, a review claims. | Police forces in England and Wales are still institutionally racist despite attempts to confront the issue, a review claims. |
| The report criticised failures to recruit and keep black officers and the reliance on stop and search techniques. | The report criticised failures to recruit and keep black officers and the reliance on stop and search techniques. |
| The Runnymede Trust also said some forces were "dragging their feet" when it came to reporting racist offences. | The Runnymede Trust also said some forces were "dragging their feet" when it came to reporting racist offences. |
| The findings come from the Trust's review, The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry 10 Years On. | |
| 'Significant problems' | 'Significant problems' |
| The review looked at the murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence, who was killed in an unprovoked racist knife attack by a gang of white youths in April 1993. | |
| In 1999, the Macpherson Inquiry severely criticised police for the handling of the subsequent murder investigation. | In 1999, the Macpherson Inquiry severely criticised police for the handling of the subsequent murder investigation. |
| The Runnymede Trust - a body that specialises in studying equality - singled out the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for praise for its work on recording and monitoring data related to racist incidents. | The Runnymede Trust - a body that specialises in studying equality - singled out the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for praise for its work on recording and monitoring data related to racist incidents. |
| However, its review found in the intervening years since the inquiry there were still significant problems. | However, its review found in the intervening years since the inquiry there were still significant problems. |
| It said black and minority ethnic officers were more likely to be dismissed than white colleagues. | |
| A disproportionate amount of black and minority ethnic officers left their police careers early, the report also found. | |
| I think it can be said that the police are still institutionally racist Rob Berkeley, Runnymede Trust director | I think it can be said that the police are still institutionally racist Rob Berkeley, Runnymede Trust director |
| The report said: "While much is made of the fact that the percentage of officers from these backgrounds has doubled between 1999 and 2008, in reality this is only from a relatively low starting-point of 2% to approximately 4%. | The report said: "While much is made of the fact that the percentage of officers from these backgrounds has doubled between 1999 and 2008, in reality this is only from a relatively low starting-point of 2% to approximately 4%. |
| "This is considerably below the national target (7%) set for the police service overall. | "This is considerably below the national target (7%) set for the police service overall. |
| "It is difficult, in light of these continued challenges, to argue that the charge of institutional racism no longer applies," the report said. | "It is difficult, in light of these continued challenges, to argue that the charge of institutional racism no longer applies," the report said. |
| Rob Berkeley, director of the Runnymede Trust said: "I think it can be said that the police are still institutionally racist. | Rob Berkeley, director of the Runnymede Trust said: "I think it can be said that the police are still institutionally racist. |
| "There's lots of controversy about the term, but if they were in 1999 they still are in 2009." | "There's lots of controversy about the term, but if they were in 1999 they still are in 2009." |
| A Home Office spokeswoman said: "We are determined to work with the police service to offer fair and equal opportunities to all its members, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity or background. | A Home Office spokeswoman said: "We are determined to work with the police service to offer fair and equal opportunities to all its members, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity or background. |
| "We have already come a long way: over the last 10 years minority ethnic officer representation in the police service has doubled." | "We have already come a long way: over the last 10 years minority ethnic officer representation in the police service has doubled." |