Dear Editor,
The Mayor and the London Assembly is committed to tackling all forms of crime, and as Londoners, we all must play our part in this. Underpinning this is the fact that the police must have the trust and confidence of the communities they serve to protect.
A continuing key concern revolves around the disproportionate use of policing powers against BAME Londoners. Increasingly, where some powers have been used, it has been found that no crime had been committed.
Stop and search is an important tool in the fight against violent crime, but it needs to be carried out properly and appropriately if it’s to be effective.
Our police officers work extremely hard and put themselves in the face of danger every day to keep Londoners safe. Sometimes the police do things wrongly and need to be held to account when this happens.
It has been encouraging to see the Mayor recently publish an Action Plan which seeks to comprehensively address these issues.
Central to the Plan is a new target to ensure 40% of new recruits to the force are from BAME backgrounds by 2022, backed by increased investment in officer training. Communities across London will also be given a more significant role in working alongside the Met in examining the use of police powers and tactics.
Over the coming months, I will continue to monitor the Metropolitan Police’s progress on implementing this plan.
Yours,
Unmesh Desai AM
London Assembly Member for City & East London
Notes to editors
- Unmesh Desai AM is the London Assembly Member for City and East (covering Barking and Dagenham, Newham, Tower Hamlets and the City of London).