Black people are nine times more likely to be stopped and searched than white people.
Now there'll be mandatory training for all officers, including black history.
Surrey Police’s Inclusion Lead Nev Kemp says they must “really understand how and why our own behaviours, as well as our systems, impact on our diverse communities and take action to rectify it”.
Full Statement:
Surrey Police Deputy Chief Constable and Inclusion Lead, Nev Kemp, said: “We accept that people from culturally diverse backgrounds, particularly Black people, are disproportionately impacted by how we police. Our data supports this. We must acknowledge this and really understand how and why our own behaviours, as well as our systems, impact on our diverse communities and take action to rectify it.
“This is a landmark moment for policing. We wholeheartedly support the introduction of this plan and will use it to drive real change for our communities and force.
“We must be clear that stating that racism and discrimination exists is not the same as characterising policing or all our officers, staff, and volunteers as racist. The majority would assert that they would not consciously tolerate racism and should anyone fall short they are robustly dealt with.
“This plan is about the fundamentals of how policing is built and the disproportionate impact this has on culturally diverse members of society. Data shows us disparities we cannot explain, and this cannot continue. Our own plan will set out local activity to tackle this, ensure we stay on track, remain accountable and ultimately deliver a Surrey police service that benefits us all.”
Chief Constable Gavin Stephens, said: “We have made progress over recent years, but even now many of our policies are unintentionally biased and can be discriminatory against people from culturally diverse backgrounds. This impacts on the service we provide and can break down trust in us.
“In 2020 we launched Our Commitments, a series of promises to ensure that the county is, and feels, safe. This safety – and feeling of safety - needs to apply to all and we know that this is not the case. As a service we have not moved forward quickly enough nor have we formally acknowledged the impact of racism in policing. If this does not change, it will widen the divide with some of our communities and, in Surrey, will go against the commitments we made as an organisation.
“I am proud to serve as Surrey’s Chief Constable and if my legacy is that this generation of officers, staff and volunteers are part of an anti-racist organisation delivering a service that is without bias, then we will have made a real difference”.