Recommendations & Conclusions
24 items
1
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry, led by the late Sir William Macpherson, was truly ground-breaking when its report was published twenty-two years ago. It led to major changes in the law, in policing, in the response to institutional racism and the treatment of racist crimes. Ultimately it led to the conviction …
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The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry, led by the late Sir William Macpherson, was truly ground-breaking when its report was published twenty-two years ago. It led to major changes in the law, in policing, in the response to institutional racism and the treatment of racist crimes. Ultimately it led to the conviction of two of the suspects for Stephen Lawrence’s murder.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the importance of public trust and confidence in policing, noting that the Home Office and policing partners already monitor various data broken down by ethnicity and that the National Policing Board prioritises being trusted by the public.
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Home Office
3
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
Our inquiry does not attempt to replicate the work of the forensic judge-led Stephen Lawrence Inquiry twenty-two years on, nor to replicate the many other wider reports about racism and race equality since then. But we have assessed progress against some of the most important Macpherson report recommendations: on community …
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Our inquiry does not attempt to replicate the work of the forensic judge-led Stephen Lawrence Inquiry twenty-two years on, nor to replicate the many other wider reports about racism and race equality since then. But we have assessed progress against some of the most important Macpherson report recommendations: on community confidence, on tackling racist crimes, on recruitment and retention of Black and other minority ethnic officers and staff, on the use of stop and search and other powers, and on Sir William’s overall aim of the elimination of racism and the demonstration of fairness in policing. As our report shows, addressing the shortcomings in these areas is an urgent challenge. (Paragraph 26) Confidence in policing among BME communities
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Government response AI summary
The Ministry of Justice has developed guidance for commissioners to support ethnic minority victims, focusing on improving service effectiveness and engagement, while the Home Office is exploring ways to understand the experiences of victims from ethnic minority backgrounds.
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Home Office
12
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
The Macpherson report brought about a transformation in the way police recognise racist incidents and deal with racist crimes, and we found a strong commitment from senior police officers to maintain the progress that had been made. This seismic change is one of the most important legacies of the Stephen …
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The Macpherson report brought about a transformation in the way police recognise racist incidents and deal with racist crimes, and we found a strong commitment from senior police officers to maintain the progress that had been made. This seismic change is one of the most important legacies of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry and the vital work of those who fought to make sure the inquiry happened.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the importance of police officer training for legitimate power use and welcomed improvements in police interactions. It then raises its own concern that neither the NPCC nor Home Office have published further analysis of racial disparity in COVID-19 Fixed Penalty Notices and …
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Home Office
16
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
The drop in racist incidents and crimes in the crime survey, and the increase in crimes that are reported to the police, is welcome and suggests that there is both an increased awareness of hate crime and increased confidence in reporting such crimes. However, statistics indicating that more than 75,000 …
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The drop in racist incidents and crimes in the crime survey, and the increase in crimes that are reported to the police, is welcome and suggests that there is both an increased awareness of hate crime and increased confidence in reporting such crimes. However, statistics indicating that more than 75,000 race related incidents 178 The Macpherson Report: Twenty-two years on were recorded in England and Wales in 2019/20—a number which is likely to be an underestimate—is clear evidence that race hate remains a very significant problem in our society.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the ongoing need to tackle racism in policing and describes existing strong governance structures, including the National Policing Board and PCCs, designed to ensure transparency and accountability. It rejects the necessity of a new Commissioner, asserting that current oversight mechanisms are sufficient …
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Home Office
21
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
We agree with Neil Basu that the links between hateful content online, radicalisation and extremism as well as the devastating impact online hate crimes can have on individuals mean that it needs to be taken extremely seriously. There is a responsibility on the Government, the police service, social media companies …
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We agree with Neil Basu that the links between hateful content online, radicalisation and extremism as well as the devastating impact online hate crimes can have on individuals mean that it needs to be taken extremely seriously. There is a responsibility on the Government, the police service, social media companies and all of us in our communities to work more effectively to tackle racist hate crimes and hateful extremism online.
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Government response AI summary
The government affirmed its commitment to tackling hate crime and hateful extremism online, reiterating existing measures such as the Hate Crime Action Plan, awareness campaigns, the True Vision portal, and Operation Modify training for police.
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Home Office
22
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
The increased support for all victims of crime and the work of Family Liaison Officers as a result of the Macpherson report are important wider legacies of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry. However, we are extremely concerned that, twenty- two years on from the publication of the Macpherson report, some Black …
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The increased support for all victims of crime and the work of Family Liaison Officers as a result of the Macpherson report are important wider legacies of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry. However, we are extremely concerned that, twenty- two years on from the publication of the Macpherson report, some Black men and women still report that they feel they have been treated as suspects not victims and that this reduces the likelihood of them reporting crime to the police in future. The police response to a victim of crime must never be influenced by assumptions based on their ethnicity, or racial stereotyping. The Home Office and National Police Chiefs’ Council must work with the Victims Commissioner to commission research into the experience of BME victims of crime and they must set out a specific plan of action to ensure there is proper support for BME victims of crime. (Paragraph 121) Recruitment and progression of BME officers and staff
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Government response AI summary
The government highlights existing Ministry of Justice guidance for commissioners on supporting ethnic minority victims and states the Home Office is exploring ways to better understand victims' experiences and will continue to engage with the Victims Commissioner.
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Home Office
42
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
Without clear action we fear that in ten years’ time successors to our Committee will hear the very same arguments and evidence about recruitment and retention that have been rehearsed for over twenty years, and the effectiveness and legitimacy of the police service will be further undermined amongst those communities …
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Without clear action we fear that in ten years’ time successors to our Committee will hear the very same arguments and evidence about recruitment and retention that have been rehearsed for over twenty years, and the effectiveness and legitimacy of the police service will be further undermined amongst those communities and interest groups the police have committed to work with and represent. The Home Secretary has described the police recruitment programme as a “once in a lifetime opportunity” to create a police service that represents the communities it serves. That opportunity must not go to waste. (Paragraph 228) Police misconduct and discipline
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the 'once-in-a-generation opportunity' presented by the Police Uplift Programme to improve representation and describes the comprehensive programme of work, including various attraction and recruitment strategies, already being delivered across all forces.
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Home Office
47
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
Twenty-two years on from the publication of the Macpherson report there remains a serious problem with racial disproportionality in stop and search. Black people are over nine and a half times more likely to be stopped and searched than White people. Despite the Macpherson report and the concerns raised and …
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Twenty-two years on from the publication of the Macpherson report there remains a serious problem with racial disproportionality in stop and search. Black people are over nine and a half times more likely to be stopped and searched than White people. Despite the Macpherson report and the concerns raised and recommendations by many other community and policing organisations over the last two decades, the disproportionality is greater now than it was when the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry concluded. We agree with HMICFRS that these disparities undermine legitimacy, which is fundamental to the British model of policing by consent.
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Government response AI summary
The government defends the use of stop and search, acknowledging the importance of fair use and proper monitoring. It commits to improving accountability and transparency for perceived disproportionality through s.163 data collection pilots and considering new metrics for stop and search rates.
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Home Office
48
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
Stop and search is an important police power and the Macpherson report’s conclusion that it has a useful role to play in the prevention and detection of crime still applies. However the nature of the unexplained and unjustified racial disparities, and the way we have seen stop and search used, …
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Stop and search is an important police power and the Macpherson report’s conclusion that it has a useful role to play in the prevention and detection of crime still applies. However the nature of the unexplained and unjustified racial disparities, and the way we have seen stop and search used, has too often damaged confidence both in stop and search itself and in policing by consent for the BME communities most affected by it. That confidence needs to be rebuilt. Policing needs to be fair and seen to be fair. (Paragraph 367) 184 The Macpherson Report: Twenty-two years on
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Government response AI summary
The government supports stop and search, highlighting its effectiveness, but acknowledges the need for better accountability and transparency. They are considering a range of metrics and deferring a decision on s.163 data collection pending pilot findings and consultation.
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Home Office
49
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
No evidence to this inquiry has adequately explained or justified the nature and scale of the disproportionality in the use of stop and search powers. This is especially the case for searches for the possession of drugs where evidence shows that Black people are less likely than White people to …
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No evidence to this inquiry has adequately explained or justified the nature and scale of the disproportionality in the use of stop and search powers. This is especially the case for searches for the possession of drugs where evidence shows that Black people are less likely than White people to have used drugs in the last year, but are 2.4 times more likely to be stopped and searched for drug possession.
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Government response AI summary
The government defends the use of stop and search, acknowledges the importance of fair use and monitoring for perceived disproportionality, and commits to piloting s.163 Road Traffic Act data collection and considering a range of metrics for stop and search rates.
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Home Office
53
Recommendation
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
In the twenty-two years since the Macpherson report there have been different attempts to reform the way stop and search has worked, but there has been little progress in addressing the unexplained and unjustified racial disparities or building confidence among BME communities. Despite the fact that basic, sensible policy recommendations …
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In the twenty-two years since the Macpherson report there have been different attempts to reform the way stop and search has worked, but there has been little progress in addressing the unexplained and unjustified racial disparities or building confidence among BME communities. Despite the fact that basic, sensible policy recommendations have been made over many years including by HMICFRS, and we have seen some excellent local work done between police forces and local communities to tackle problems, too often these recommendations and initiatives have been piecemeal and not widely implemented or sustained. That needs to change urgently. Police forces and the Home Office need to take these failures seriously. In particular, we are very perplexed and disappointed that the ongoing recommendations made by HMICFRS since 2017 aimed at improving how stop and The Macpherson Report: Twenty-two years on 185 search is used are still not being adopted by all forces. The Home Office, NPCC and APCC need to agree a clear action plan endorsed by the National Policing Board to ensure that all forces are following the HMICFRS recommendations.
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Government response AI summary
The government supports the use of stop and search, acknowledges the need for improved accountability, and commits to continuing to work with NPCC, APCC, and HMICFRS to explore how policing bodies can take forward recommendations and deliver a whole-sector approach. As part of "Inclusive Britain", …
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Home Office
61
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
More recently, the serious concerns raised about disproportionality in the use of Fixed Penalty Notices as part of police enforcement of the covid-19 regulations provide cautionary evidence about the need for care and oversight in the way new policing powers are introduced. In the first lockdown Black people were 1.8 …
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More recently, the serious concerns raised about disproportionality in the use of Fixed Penalty Notices as part of police enforcement of the covid-19 regulations provide cautionary evidence about the need for care and oversight in the way new policing powers are introduced. In the first lockdown Black people were 1.8 times more likely to be subject to covid enforcement measures than White people.
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Government response AI summary
The government recognises the concerns about disproportionality in COVID-19 Fixed Penalty Notices and highlights that the NPCC routinely publishes data, has commissioned an independent analysis to be published, and is committed to an action plan for improving diversity and focusing on power use.
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Home Office
67
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
The murder of George Floyd and its global impact shone a spotlight on the race inequality and injustice that are still features of our society. It is an important step forward that political and policing leaders have come together in recognition of the fact that racial injustice persists in our …
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The murder of George Floyd and its global impact shone a spotlight on the race inequality and injustice that are still features of our society. It is an important step forward that political and policing leaders have come together in recognition of the fact that racial injustice persists in our society and have expressed determination to eliminate it as well as starting to introduce reforms. However, it should not have required video footage of the murder of a Black man by a police officer and the ensuing Black Lives Matter protests to concentrate the minds of the Government and the police on the imperative of race equality.
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Government response AI summary
The government welcomes the report and acknowledges that more work is needed to improve trust and confidence in policing among black and ethnic minority groups.
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Home Office
68
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
This report recognises the many significant changes that have been made on issues raised in the Macpherson report twenty-two years ago, including the major improvements in the way the police deal with racist crimes, and the public commitments by forces and senior officers to diversity and race equality. We also …
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This report recognises the many significant changes that have been made on issues raised in the Macpherson report twenty-two years ago, including the major improvements in the way the police deal with racist crimes, and the public commitments by forces and senior officers to diversity and race equality. We also welcome the increased focus on race equality over the last twelve months. However, our inquiry has also identified very serious and persistent shortcomings across the police service with regard to racial inequalities and racism in important areas that still have not been addressed after more than two decades. The central aim of the 188 The Macpherson Report: Twenty-two years on 70 recommendations published by Macpherson was to “eliminate racist prejudice and disadvantage and demonstrate fairness in aspects of policing”. More than two decades later this aim still has not been met.
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Government response AI summary
The government welcomes the report, acknowledging improvements but also recognising the need for further work to build trust and confidence in policing among black and ethnic minority groups.
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Home Office
72
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
It is essential also for leaders to set an example by undertaking this anti-racism training, shaping the organisational culture of their forces, confronting unfair behaviour among officers and addressing structures that disadvantage and discriminate.
Government response AI summary
The government references general training improvements for police officers, including a review of de-escalation skills training by autumn 2024, and the new 'Race Action Plan', but does not explicitly detail how leaders will specifically undertake anti-racism training or implement the other suggested actions.
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Home Office
74
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
Since the Macpherson report was published there have been important and welcome improvements in policing, and we have found that policing today is very different from twenty-two years ago. Our inquiry has seen evidence of significant improvements in the policing of racist crimes and hate crimes: in the commitment of …
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Since the Macpherson report was published there have been important and welcome improvements in policing, and we have found that policing today is very different from twenty-two years ago. Our inquiry has seen evidence of significant improvements in the policing of racist crimes and hate crimes: in the commitment of forces and senior officers to promoting diversity and equality, in good examples The Macpherson Report: Twenty-two years on 189 of local community policing, in new policies and recent progress among some forces in recruitment. That is of course the very least we would expect in the several decades since Stephen Lawrence’s murder.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the indelible impact of the Macpherson Report and outlines significant progress made in policing since its publication, including strengthened accountability, improved data collection, and efforts to recruit a more diverse police force.
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Home Office
76
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
Our objective has been to consider progress, twenty-two years on, against the key Macpherson themes and recommendations which we set out in chapter one. We have not sought to carry out the kind of in-depth exercise in respect of individual policing institutions that either Macpherson conducted into the Metropolitan Police …
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Our objective has been to consider progress, twenty-two years on, against the key Macpherson themes and recommendations which we set out in chapter one. We have not sought to carry out the kind of in-depth exercise in respect of individual policing institutions that either Macpherson conducted into the Metropolitan Police or that Wendy Williams conducted into the Home Office. As a result, we have not been in a position to apply the tests of institutional racism that, for example, Wendy Williams used (see paragraph 545) but nor was that our intention in this inquiry. However, the breadth of our inquiry and our analysis of the evidence we have gathered in relation to the different recommendations specified by Sir William Macpherson has led us to the following conclusions.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the committee's work and highlights past progress in policing reforms, data collection, and recruitment, referring to the "Inclusive Britain" response for future measures to improve accountability and tackle disparities.
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Home Office
77
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
Firstly, we take extremely seriously the views of Black and minority ethnic police organisations who repeatedly told us that they continue to experience and bear witness to institutional racism in our police forces today, and believe that this testimony alone should be grounds enough for policing leaders, the Home Office …
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Firstly, we take extremely seriously the views of Black and minority ethnic police organisations who repeatedly told us that they continue to experience and bear witness to institutional racism in our police forces today, and believe that this testimony alone should be grounds enough for policing leaders, the Home Office and Government to take seriously the imperative for change across policing institutions and practice. Like MOPAC, we consider the fact that the question as to whether police forces and policing practice are institutionally racist is still being asked and debated demonstrates how much more work needs to be done to ensure the police service has the trust and confidence of BME communities.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the committee's work and points to significant progress in policing since Macpherson, including reforms, data improvements, and recruitment. It states that the "Inclusive Britain" response will deliver measures to improve accountability and tackle negative disparities.
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Home Office
82
Recommendation
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
Fourthly, police forces must strengthen their approach to tackling the systemic problems of race inequality that we have identified. Forces should adopt the approach set out in the David Lammy review of the Criminal Justice System: explain or change. That must mean monitoring, assessing and robustly investigating race disparities so …
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Fourthly, police forces must strengthen their approach to tackling the systemic problems of race inequality that we have identified. Forces should adopt the approach set out in the David Lammy review of the Criminal Justice System: explain or change. That must mean monitoring, assessing and robustly investigating race disparities so that only robust and evidence-based explanations are accepted; and where forces cannot explain disparities, they must set out changes to eliminate them. At a national level, policing organisations and the Home Office should be holding forces accountable for doing so. Recent comments by Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, Dame Cressida Dick and Martin Hewitt, as well as new initiatives from the NPCC, HMICFRS, the IOPC and from individual PCCs and Chief Constables suggest that police leaders recognise the importance now of taking a ‘big step forward’—but they must now make good on their intent by rigorously examining their institutions, explaining the disparities we have highlighted, or changing their organisations and practices to eradicate them.
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees on the need to monitor trust and confidence, stating they already collect extensive ethnicity data and will continue to explore improvements in data recording. They note that the National Policing Board includes public trust as a strategic priority.
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Home Office
83
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
The Macpherson report led to major changes in attitudes towards racism and to progress on race equality both in policing and across society. However that early momentum was not sustained and persistent problems were not addressed. Now that there is a new focus on challenging racism and on the very …
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The Macpherson report led to major changes in attitudes towards racism and to progress on race equality both in policing and across society. However that early momentum was not sustained and persistent problems were not addressed. Now that there is a new focus on challenging racism and on the very same objectives set out by the Macpherson report, it is vital that this time progress is sustained and made permanent. It will take a focused, sustained and determined effort on the part of all policing institutions and Government to address those structural The Macpherson Report: Twenty-two years on 191 problems that stand in the way of eliminating racist prejudice and disadvantage, and demonstrating fairness in all aspects of policing—the ambition of the Macpherson report twenty-two years ago. (Paragraph 560) Delivery and Accountability
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the committee's report and emphasizes the significant progress made in policing since Macpherson, including reforms, improved data collection, and diverse recruitment. It refers to the "Inclusive Britain" response for future measures to enhance accountability and address disparities.
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Home Office
88
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
The NPCC has a leadership function in policing, co-ordinating police forces at a national level. It is welcome that the NPCC has announced its intention to develop and implement a race equality action plan but it is deeply disappointing that this has since been delayed and that it is taking …
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The NPCC has a leadership function in policing, co-ordinating police forces at a national level. It is welcome that the NPCC has announced its intention to develop and implement a race equality action plan but it is deeply disappointing that this has since been delayed and that it is taking so long for forces to agree on much needed action. The capacity of the NPCC to act quickly and decisively is hindered by the difficulty of reaching agreement between 43 forces. We do not believe that 192 The Macpherson Report: Twenty-two years on the current structures will be sufficient to deliver change that is already twenty-two years overdue. The NPCC has also done important and welcome work in some of the individual areas we have considered in our report, such as on misconduct (see chapter five). Again, however, its impact has been limited where forces have been slow to address its recommendations.
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Government response AI summary
The government notes that the NPCC and College of Policing have co-developed a new 'Race Action Plan' which outlines measures to improve policing and secure the confidence of Black people, including updated officer guidance and training.
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Home Office
90
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
Evidence given to this inquiry indicates that the IOPC (and the IPCC before it) has been too complacent on matters of race, and specifically has not worked to collate data consistently (see chapter five). We welcome the IOPC’s announcement, in summer 2020, that it will commit to a dedicated focus …
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Evidence given to this inquiry indicates that the IOPC (and the IPCC before it) has been too complacent on matters of race, and specifically has not worked to collate data consistently (see chapter five). We welcome the IOPC’s announcement, in summer 2020, that it will commit to a dedicated focus on race discrimination as a thematic area of review. Specifically, it states that this will involve “independently investigating more cases where racial discrimination may be a factor in order to develop a body of evidence” to advance change.
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Government response AI summary
The government response details ongoing work on police training in diversity, equality, and inclusion, and outlines commitments from the 'Inclusive Britain' response and a new 'Race Action Plan' to improve policing and confidence in black communities, aligning with the broader theme of addressing race in …
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Home Office
101
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
Across the country police forces work hard each day to tackle crime and keep all our communities safe. Police officers and staff work immensely hard to deliver fairness in policing, to support Black and minority ethnic victims of crime, to tackle racist hate crimes and support community cohesion. But it …
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Across the country police forces work hard each day to tackle crime and keep all our communities safe. Police officers and staff work immensely hard to deliver fairness in policing, to support Black and minority ethnic victims of crime, to tackle racist hate crimes and support community cohesion. But it is because the role of the The Macpherson Report: Twenty-two years on 195 police in communities is so important that the issues raised in our report need to be addressed. Our inquiry has found that the Macpherson report’s overall aim of the elimination of racist prejudice and disadvantage and the demonstration of fairness in all aspects of policing has still not been met twenty-two years on, and we have identified persistent deep-rooted problems where too little progress has been made because of a lack of focus and accountability on issues of race. While this is the case, trust between the police service and Black and minority ethnic communities will remain low and the long-standing Peel principles around fairness in policing and policing by consent will continue to be undermined.
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees on the importance of monitoring trust and confidence in policing and highlights existing data collection efforts across various metrics. It commits to continuing to work with policing partners to support forces in collating and publishing confidence data to inform accountability.
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Home Office
102
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
The commitments made over the last year by the NPCC, by individual forces and by senior police officers to a step change in addressing race equality in policing are important and welcome. But commitments have been made in the past that were then not delivered. This time needs to be …
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The commitments made over the last year by the NPCC, by individual forces and by senior police officers to a step change in addressing race equality in policing are important and welcome. But commitments have been made in the past that were then not delivered. This time needs to be different or confidence may be permanently undermined. This time, Government and police forces must work with local communities to ensure there is real and sustainable change that improves the experiences of, and outcomes for, Black and minority ethnic communities whether within the police service or without—that raises confidence and demonstrates fairness in policing for all. (Paragraph 623) 196 The Macpherson Report: Twenty-two years on
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the importance of public confidence and describes ongoing efforts to monitor trust and collect data, committing to continue working with policing partners to consider how best to support forces in collating and publishing confidence data.
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Home Office