The demise of the Shireshire BPA

Since the launch of the Shireshire Black Police Association many many years ago, one could argue that it’s history and achievements have been mixed. Sadly some members have used the BPA as a means to an end, a means of getting promotion, whilst ignoring the real issue of ensuring some racial equality. After promotion they move out. Race equality is not like that. But this might be true of any organisation.

At the time of launch of the local BPA the vision was good, but who would have thought back then that we would have had any idea that we would not be allowed to reach our freedom or destiny. And at any given time the BPA has been only as good as the education and understanding of those members that have formed a part of it. Back in 1999 I remember speaking and advising the then Chief Constable that we had no agenda, we just wanted race equality. He simply did not have a clue, nor did he wish to listen to me. I am afraid police leaders have largely missed the point.

The BPA has risen from having no budget, and no post, to a reasonable budget, a dedicated post but little more. For example it has been made clear to the BPA that it should not use the budget for the legal fees of colleagues pursuing claims against the Force. This "tokenistic" approach has been largely welcomed by some leaders in the organisation and this position is no different to the position of the National Black Police Association. One knows therefore one is not welcome.

If an organisation is set up with no structure and incompetence then it has been set up to fail. If the BPA has no real freedom or voice, what is it’s point other than to serve it’s masters in a new slaverised system. It is not unusual that those that speak out are labelled "radicals" and those that toe the party line are given career aspirations. The police organisation’s leaders wrongly believe it can understand race and entrusts a subject which causes murder, riots, Black on Black gun crime, etc. to people that have never experienced racism or have never themselves been marginalised, and in other words are a safe pair of hands.

And really this is a farcical and institutionally racist position, but one which extends not just to Shireshire, but across all Forces. How can this position help the marginalised communities of Shireshire, the communities that the BPA is there to protect and support? The answer is simple, this position was not meant to assist the community. The BPA is largely a PR exercise. It was however meant only to serve the purpose of ticking a box for the HMIC to show things as improving, whilst in reality any achievement is hampered.

It is almost as if the position post Macpherson towards anti racism is one of total and systemic entrenchment and one in which leaders nationally should be held accountable for game playing.

The sheer numbers of Black Probationers that experience a negative intervention during their probation raises very serious questions, issues which some of us feel, have been systematically swept under the carpet. White officers that challenge in support of Black officers that have suffered alleged racism are penalised and Black officers that mention "race" are ignored. The higher echelons hope that these people and the problem will go away. But the truth simply won’t budge.

The intervention rate for Asian female officers in Shireshire is dire, yet we wish to recruit more ethnic colleagues. This is an absurd position. The numbers of colleagues that have sought to seek some justice through employment tribunals locally and nationally suggest that the nature of the problem of institutional racism has not even been touched by the organisation post Macpherson, (denial and collusion are rife, if only in the name of ignorance). How many of our leaders have been on race relation courses run by qualified people? One wonders whether their elitism and leadership exempts them. Within the tribunal system, despite the best efforts of some of the Chairs of Tribunals, Black colleagues have felt the harsh reality of brutal HR practices and procedures that are not only torturous to the individual victims of racism but to their families also.

Simple games such as talking to the Black colleague supporter whilst ignoring the applicant are part of the course of HR operations. And then "deals at dawn", at the very last moment, take no account of the stresses caused to applicants. Thereafter, when the organisation has a debrief, do the debriefs involve those Black colleagues that have gone to tribunal seeking some justice. The answer is, no, they do not, but how hypocritical this is, is an indication of an entrenched attitude with HR being a major culprit of racism. Systems designed to protect individuals, actually institutionalise racism further, and these systems far from being anti racist are actually morally corrupt. Chief Constables should know what is going in, after all this race inequality and racial bullying of Black people and the BPA goes on in Force’s, but Chief Constables distance themselves relying not on personal intervention but on the protection offered to them by vicarious liability.

There comes a point when BPA’s must consider their true worth. If BPA’s are shackled and unable to have any real impact on race equality, and where race equality is mocked by do good liberals who undermine the life and death of Stephen Lawrence by their action and inaction, perhaps the time has come to rethink passive resistance. For the BPA to pull out of strategic meetings, training, recruitment, etc. is not a big thing. This is not the first time we have considered taking this type of action. God forbid, should the BPA fold in Shireshire, this would be a terrible indictment on the Shireshire Police for failing race equality, and an indictment on the service. Of course the leaders might conjure up a new genre of "tokens", but the question is, would this really fool the public, or make the public realise that actually what we are saying here is the truth.

These might appear to be drastic actions, but it is better to have one’s dignity than be "used." None of these actions of pulling out have anything to do with the honest work carried out by most colleagues in the Shireshire Police, but these actions have everything to do with leadership amongst police organisations, a leadership that is not intent on the truth or justice but more intent on keeping up a false reputation before moving on to a higher promotion. It is a wonder that the HMIC has not identified these core feelings, but this only questions the independence of the HMIC and it’s loyalty to Chief Officers. For now, the message is clear. The treatment of BPA’s is hardly civilised in 2007. Perhaps therefore it is time to call it a day. In all my years I have never known a time as this and am thankful at least that one group, the Police Federation, does an awful lot more for race equality than the Police organisation itself. (Note: At a recent meeting with a senior officer I was advised that I had issues with the senior management in Shireshire and I should perhaps leave, and the senior officer did not mean leave the meeting: that's when one knows for having an alternative view one is not welcome).