05 Apr London Lib Dems plan to cut impact of crime on Black Londoners
Rob Blackie, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Mayor of London, has unveiled a raft of measures to reduce the disproportionate impact of crime on Black Londoners.
Blackie emphasised the urgent need for action to tackle the disproportionate levels of crime suffered by Black people in the capital.
His Race Equality Plan for Policing aims to improve the effectiveness of the Metropolitan Police and its relations with Black communities. Its measures include:
Improving the recruitment, retention and progression of Black police officers by instituting monthly reviews by the Mayor
Improving and accelerating the vetting process for new recruits, starting with automated social media audits as manual searches are drastically slowing recruitment
Reviewing the use of stop and search, capturing experiences through a new survey, also using bodycam footage
Blackie earlier discussed the challenges faced by Black boys and young men at a meeting in Southwark yesterday (Wednesday) with Ademola Adeyeba, founder of the mentoring organisation 1000 Black Boys, and Chris French, Lib Dem Greater London Assembly candidate for Lambeth and Southwark, a former special constable.
Rob Blackie said:
“Black people are six times more likely to be murdered in London, twice as likely to be raped, 66% more likely to suffer domestic abuse, and over 2.5 times more likely to be a victim of a hate crime.
“This is completely unacceptable, and the current Mayor, Sadiq Khan, has not made any significant progress. Since he has been in charge of the Met the proportion of Black police officers has only increased from 3% in 2016 to 3.6% in 2023. At this rate it will take 40 years to have a police service that reflects the makeup of London.
“If elected, I will reduce this disproportionate impact of crime by making the Metropolitan Police more effective and by building stronger relationships between the police and London’s Black communities.
“I will focus on tackling serious crimes where Black communities are disproportionately affected.
“I will implement measures to recruit, retain, and promote Black officers, with regular reviews by the Mayor to ensure accountability and progress.
“I will also conduct a comprehensive analysis of stop and search practices using bodycam footage to assess efficacy and minimise negative impacts on community relations. The Mayor has promised to do this work for years, but has not succeeded”
