The Metropolitan Police should no longer be labelled “institutionally racist”, but white men are still more likely to be promoted, an official inquiry has found.
London Mayor Boris Johnson ordered an investigation into alleged racism in 2008 after the Metropolitan Black Police Association (BPA) said it would discourage black and Asian recruits from applying to the force as it would be “failing in its duty” if it didn’t inform people of the “hostile and racist situation there”.
However, the Race and Faith Inquiry report found the phrase ‘institutional racism’ was being used too glibly as a “blanket indictment”, had become a barrier to reform at the force, and was a “millstone around the neck” of the Met, reports the BBC.
The report, which comes 11 years after the Macpherson report into the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence, said the Met needed a “fresh and energetic” approach to making the principles of equality, diversity and human rights a practical reality.
Statistics also suggested that white men were more likely to be promoted and stood less chance of being disciplined than their ethnic minority counterparts.
Cindy Butts, a member of the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA), who chaired the inquiry panel, said: “The Met has much to be proud of in championing diversity. But it would be wrong to relax and we are determined that momentum should be maintained.”
Earlier this year, a Met Police officer who blamed racial discrimination for his removal from a training course lost his case at tribunal.
