Tackling Race Disproportionality in Police Professional Standards

1. Tackling Race Disproportionalityin Police Professional Standards Inspector Jaswant SINGH West Midlands Black & Asian Police Association

2. How much Race disproportionality? • Report by SMITH et al of Manchester University identified race disproportionality in Police Professional Standards in GMP, West Midlands Police & BTP • What did the evidence-based research uncover?

3. West Midlands Police • Statistically significant over-representation of BME officers was identified in internally raised misconduct investigations. • Disproportionality was more pronounced for Asian officers and they are 2.08 times more likely to be subjected to investigation than white officers.

4. Greater Manchester Police • Statistically significant over-representation of BME officers and staff was identified in GMP counter-corruption intelligence data. • Asian officers were 2.79 times and Asian staff 3.59 times more likely than white officers and staff to be subject to counter-corruption intelligence. Procedural disproportionality was also found.

5. British Transport Police • Statistically more significant over-representation of BME officers was identified in internally raised misconduct proceedings. • Black officers and staff were 2.41 and 2.73 times more likely respectively than white officers and staff to face disciplinary proceedings.

6. How Old is this problem ? • Other reports Morris & Taylor findings in the past also were ‘damning’ in their verdicts • Winning the Race - BME officers in every category from retention, progression to accessing specialist departments was a significant problem • Public Service Agreement PSA 24 – LCJB had to ‘identify and explain or reduce unjustified race disproportionality in employment, retention and progression rates of BME CJS staff at local level.’

7. Learning Lessons • ‘Top – down’ responses have failed to embed change • We must develop effective strategies to ensure – • A ‘bottom – up’ approach • Focussed on measurable outcomes • Transparent decision – making, implementation & monitoring of outcomes • ‘Power sharing’…

8. The Way Forward • The development of an evidence–based, practice – oriented approach to identifying, addressing and monitoring race disproportionality in Professional Standards practices • A sustainable, embedded and inclusive model that is effective both in terms of outcomes and costs

9. The Way Forward • NBPA is currently working with other CJS BME staff networks to pilot the Employment Diagnostic Toolkit (EDT) which was designed to identify & address race disproportionality in CJS employment, progression & retention • The EDT was agreed & endorsed by the National Race Disproportionality Board, chaired by the former head of the NPIA Peter Neyroud

10. EDT Methodology Gathering information Analysing information to identify race disproportionality Investigating the reasons for any race disproportionality Identifying actions to explain or reduce race disproportionality Developing, implementing & publishing local action plans to address unjustified race disproportionality, and Monitoring the effects of such actions

11. The Challenge • Adapting the EDT to develop & pilot a toolkit to identify and address race disproportionality in Professional Standards practice • To meet the challenge, we need – • Committed NBPA volunteers for a project Working Group • To identify Force areas and/or regions where NBPA members have the capacity & commitment to pilot the toolkit