Port of Tilbury-Police Constable

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Chief constable also says change has been too slow.

The College of Policing and a chief constable have reiterated the importance of taking action on diversity, ahead of the publication of a new strategy for the service.

As revealed by Police Oracle yesterday the NPCC has been working on a plan to boost equality and diversity in policing.

The College of Policing was involved in the early development of the plan.

A spokesman said: “We want police forces to be representative of the communities they serve so they can benefit from the diverse skills, talents and experiences of a more inclusive workforce.

“It is vitally important that our police forces reflect the diverse nature of modern society as this will allow officers and staff to understand and respond effectively to the needs and issues of under-represented groups.

“That is why we have worked with the national policing lead and colleagues from across the service to help develop the National Police Chiefs Council’s Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Strategy, which is just one part of our ongoing commitment to help change the policing workplace culture to be more inclusive of difference.”

Elsewhere Chief Constable Jon Boutcher, national police lead for race issues, spoke to The Guardian ahead of the 25th anniversary of the murder of Stephen Lawrence.

He said: “My challenge to policing is that the pace of change is too slow, since [The] Macpherson [Inquiry, which branded the Met Police institutionally racist]. In my view it could have been faster.

“I think it’s about commitment at a senior leadership level. I don’t accept that everything has been done [...].

“There have been the words, but not the actions. We need to make sure we have words and actions.”

Nevertheless the exact plans for policing have not yet been revealed.

A spokesman for the NPCC said the strategy will be published in due course.

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