Mayor of London comes under attack as he chairs meeting of watchdog authority for first time
Metropolitan Police racism inquiry ‘flawed before it has begun’
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An investigation into alleged racism in the UK’s largest police force is flawed before it has even begun, it was claimed yesterday.
The new mayor of London, Boris Johnson, was told the inquiry would be expensive, unnecessary and vulnerable to accusations of bias.
Members of the watchdog Metropolitan Police Authority also attacked him for announcing the inquiry unilaterally.
At his first meeting as chairman of the MPA, Mr Johnson was told an inquiry could undermine the credibility of the Met’s response to rows with senior ethnic-minority officers.
Former chairman Len Duvall said the authority itself was “not immune” from allegations of racism.
Mr Johnson was also accused of “usurping” his powers by forcing commissioner Sir Ian Blair from office last week. And he was warned that potential successors could be frightened off by his apparently politically charged intervention.
Lord Toby Harris said any race inquiry must be run independently, to protect the MPA from claims of bias.
The meeting came as the Metropolitan Black Police Association (MetBPA) announced an ethnic-minority recruitment boycott. It said “active discouragement” would continue during Black History Month and beyond. “We will not put up or shut up to racism and inequality,” said a spokesman.
Mr Johnson said the inquiry, led by deputy MPA chairwoman Cindy Butts, would explore race and faith issues within the force.
Scotland Yard is already embroiled in an acrimonious race row with the country’s most senior Asian police officer, Tarique Ghaffur.
And the MPA has suspended Commander Ali Dizaei, president of the National Black Police Association, over alleged misconduct.
Following the criticisms, Mr Johnson said he would review how the race inquiry was handled.
He wanted to work “hand in glove” with the MPA and make a fresh start.
Mr Johnson said London’s police force must resemble the communities it served, and Ms Butts would examine the progress of ethnic minority recruits and leadership on race and faith issues.
Meanwhile, he wanted the police to focus on combating teenage violence, knife crime and terrorism. He said it was his job to support the Met’s “fundamental duty” in reassuring Londoners that the streets were safe.
Mr Duvall was surprised at Mr Johnson announcing an inquiry without consulting the MPA. He said: “Usually it is the authority that decides what inquiries it is going to do.”
Mr Duvall said the MPA had been accused of racism and should not leave itself vulnerable to further claims.
“When someone from the MPA is leading this process, there are people out there who will not be satisfied and always say there is something wrong. We, as an organisation, have not been immune from these charges. Some of them may be absolutely right, some may not be right.”
On Sir Ian’s resignation, Mr Duvall, a fierce defender of the commissioner, added that the MPA was now in a “pretty messy” position.
He asked Mr Johnson: “What assurances are you going to give police officers that they do not have to look over their shoulders?
“What steps are you taking to get the best possible field of candidates that want to work with us, who are not frightened of working with us — or you?”
Ms Butts said most people on the inquiry panel would be drawn from outside the police service and the MPA.
She added: “I want to review progress to date and make sure we are picking up on the lessons learned and lessons from these three inquiries.”
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has ordered Policing Minister Vernon Coaker to report on ethnic-minority recruitment practices and levels across the police service within two weeks.
She said campaigning to discourage ethnic-minority recruitment was “unhelpful” and she expressed her disappointment that MetBPA had decided on this course of action. She added: “We need a police service which understands the communities it serves and which represents those communities and the whole country,”
