Letter to The Guardian
A new report from the Commission for Racial Equality brings the spotlight
back on to the Lawrence report agenda (Black police still abused at work,
CRE study finds, 9 March).
Changes at the top of the police service are not translated into real change
in the way black communities are being policed: they are overpoliced as alleged
perpetrators and underpoliced as victims. Strong action is now needed if we
are to have a police force that reflects our multicultural society. This means
the police must be a no-go area for far-right extremists. The best way of
ensuring that officers who are victims of racism within the force come forward
is to demonstrate that perpetrators will not get away with it.
We also question the training recruits receive: as a BBC documentary shockingly
demonstrated, it fails to weed out racists. We hope, and press, for an urgent,
detailed response from the government on how the CRE recommendations will
be implemented.
Milena Buyum
Vice-chair, National Assembly Against Racism