Metropolitan Police Force should be applauded for its actions on diversity

In your news story ‘Skills shortages in police and taxi services will affect London Olympics’ (Personnel Today, 23 January), you stated that I had the view that “the Metropolitan Police had failed to attract black and ethnic minority applicants in the necessary volumes”. This is not true.

We are working with the Met Police to help recruit sufficient numbers of police community support officers (PCSOs) from black and minority ethnic (BME) backgrounds. We help applicants demonstrate that they have the skills for the PCSO role. Our course is working its way across the London boroughs and the councils see it as a way to help the local community and local unemployed residents achieve sustainable careers.

The Metropolitan Police Force should be praised for creating a programme that not only helps BME groups into employment but also promotes the role of a PCSO as a crucial support system for the rest of the police force.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

Email(Required)

OptOut

From time to time, we will send you emails about selected products, events and services from Personnel Today - but you can choose to opt-out at any time. If you do not wish to receive these emails, please tick this box.

Phone

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Δ

Teresa Scott, chief executive, Kennedy Scott