12 hours Ago By Evening Standard
Scotland Yard has angered black, Asian, disabled and women officers after launching a review into whether it will continue funding full-time union roles. Although the Metropolitan Police says no decision had been made, it has immediately paused budget allocation for the four staff. Met chairs of the Black Police Association , Asian Muslim Police Association, Disability Support Association and a Network of Women secretary have been left in limbo.
Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley is facing a £260 million budget shortfall and could need to cut 2,300 officers and 400 staff, despite increases from central and local government. Fifteen other internal networks for police from backgrounds including LGBT+, Christian, Traveller, Jewish, Greek and Cypriot, Turkish and Romanian do not have the same full-time funded privileges. Policing chiefs want to know if arrangements - some in place for decades or informal - are fair and efficient.
A decision is expected soon. It comes as progress made since Baroness Louise Casey branded the force institutionally racist, misogynist and homophobic will be judged two years on. She concluded ethnic minority officers and staff are substantially more likely than their white counterparts to receive misconduct allegations and discrimination is often ignored.
Her scathing review found a third of those with a long-standing illness, disability or infirmity experienced bullying. Female officers routinely face sexism. Chief Inspector Andy George, president of the National Black Police Association, said London-based chair Diane Vincent is blocked from taking up her role despite being elected by members last month.
He added: “It has become glaringly evident that the Metropolitan Police Service is engaged in a systematic effort to dismantle the Met BPA. “The Met BPA has been at the forefront of holding the Met accountable for institutional racism and discrimination. “Stripping us of resources and leadership at such a critical moment is nothing short of an attack on transparency, accountability, and the voices of our members and our communities.
“We anticipate that financial constraints may be used as a convenient excuse to justify this erosion.” Matt Cane, general secretary of the rank-and-file Met Police Federation, said: “We will be seeking urgent clarification from the Met over this review at a time when hard-working officers need our representation more than ever. “The Met Police Federation fully supports work being carried out by the various staff associations, including the BPA and DSA, and would ask the Met to consult with its officers on the removal of any full-time roles.
” A Met spokesman told the Standard: “The statement released by the Met branch of the Black Police Association contains a number of assertions about the Met’s current review of all staff support associations that should be clarified. “There are 19 staff support associations at the Met, and a much larger number of networks, of which the Met BPA is one. “The review is considering how best all associations and networks can support the Met to deliver for the public, which includes whether any full-time roles, of which there are currently four, should continue.
“No decision has been made, and although this does not prevent any chair taking up their position, it does mean the allocation of any new full-time roles is paused.”.
