The Metropolitan Police Service has announced a series of measures aimed at rebuilding trust with Black Londoners, following a string of high-profile controversies and criticism over the force's handling of Black deaths in custody. The move comes as part of a broader effort to address systemic racism and improve community relations within the capital. According to a statement from the Met, the new initiatives will focus on increasing community engagement in Black London communities, introducing a new training programme for officers to address racism and bias, and conducting an independent review of the force's handling of Black deaths in custody. The review will be led by a panel of external experts and will look to identify areas for improvement and provide recommendations for change. The Met has also pledged to increase transparency and accountability within the force, including publishing regular reports on the number of Black people stopped and searched by police.
The announcement comes after a damning report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) found that the Met Police had discriminated against Black people in its use of stop and search powers. The report highlighted a 'deep-seated' problem of racism within the force and called for a number of reforms to address the issue. The Met has accepted the findings of the report and has committed to implementing the recommended changes, including increasing the number of Black officers within the force.
The new measures have been welcomed by community leaders and activists, who have long called for greater accountability and transparency within the police service. 'This is a positive step towards rebuilding trust between the Met and Black Londoners,' said a spokesperson for the Black Lives Matter UK campaign. 'We urge the Met to commit to implementing these changes and to working with the community to address the deep-seated issues that have led to this mistrust.'