This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/london/7896251.stm

The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Met discrimination inquiry begins Met officers 'face glass ceiling'
(about 9 hours later)
An inquiry into discrimination in the UK's biggest police force is to begin. A "glass ceiling" remains for minority officers in the Metropolitan Police, the chairman of the force's Muslim Police Association has claimed.
The Metropolitan Police Authority Race and Faith review was set up by London Mayor Boris Johnson after a string of race claims against the force. Inspector Fiaz Choudhary told an inquiry into discrimination in the service that white colleagues would often "recruit in their own image".
Serving officers from ethnic minorities will give evidence both in public and in private. But "enormous progress" had been made in the 10 years since the Stephen Lawrence murder inquiry, he added.
Former commissioner Sir Ian Blair is also likely to appear, while a former senior officer who has accused Sir Ian of racism is due to give evidence. The inquiry was set up after a string of race claims against the force.
Former assistant commissioner Tarique Ghaffur, who publicly accused Sir Ian of racism, will speak to the inquiry in private. FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME class="" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/default.stm">More from Today programme Known as the "Metropolitan Police Authority Race and Faith review", it was established by Mayor Boris Johnson and is being chaired by Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) member Cindy Butts.
Mr Ghaffur later withdrew the allegation and has left the Met. It is being held 10 years on from the publication of the Macpherson Report into the Stephen Lawrence murder inquiry, which branded the Met "institutionally racist".
The inquiry will take evidence from the Metropolitan Black Police Association (MBPA), which has been highly critical of the force. Ex-commissioner Sir Ian Blair is likely to appear, while Tarique Ghaffur - a former senior officer who accused Sir Ian of racism - gave evidence on the first morning.
In December, Met Commander Ali Dizaei launched a claim of racial discrimination with the Employment Tribunal against the force with the support of the MBPA. 'No targets set'
The inquiry will be chaired by Cindy Butts, who told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme that the Met has made significant progress in recruiting black and ethnic minority police officers over the past 10 years but said more needed to be done. Mr Choudhary told the inquiry: "We have moved on quite considerably in the last 10 years since the Stephen Lawrence inquiry.
"There are still substantial problems that remain, and we have to be very upfront about that," she said. "We have moved on considerably but there are still issues there and they are not that different from those 10 years ago."
Institutional racism Commander Ali Dizaei has made a racial discrimination claimAnd he claimed the MPA had failed in its duty to scrutinise senior officers.
"I think that is where one of the biggest failings has been," he said . "There do not appear to be any measurements and targets set."
But Det Ch Supt Helen Ball, who heads Trident, the Met unit dealing with gun crime in London's black community, said it was incorrect for Mr Choudhary to claim that senior officers recruited in their own image.
"If you look at the progression of women in the organisation then it certainly cannot be true," she said.
"There are women coming through the ranks now, like myself, who were recruited by male colleagues.
"I think we are coming through in some numbers. I would anticipate that the progression of black and minority officers will go the same way."
'Must be upfront'
Ms Butts said the Met had made good progress but acknowledged that "substantial problems" remained.
She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the Met had made significant progress in recruiting black and minority ethnic (BME) police officers over the past decade, but more needed to be done.
She said one in 15 officers in the London boroughs came from BME backgrounds, compared with one in 43 at the time of the Macpherson Report.
"There are still substantial problems that remain, and we have to be very upfront about that," she added.
FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme
"And that's what this inquiry is about - it's about examining the experiences of black and minority ethnic officers and trying to come up with practical, workable solutions that can improve the situation.""And that's what this inquiry is about - it's about examining the experiences of black and minority ethnic officers and trying to come up with practical, workable solutions that can improve the situation."
This month will mark 10 years since the publication of the Macpherson Report into the murder of Stephen Lawrence, which branded the Met "institutionally racist". She added that positive discrimination was something which would be considered.
This week the Runnymede Trust said problems in the police service meant the criticism still applied. But she said: "I would not say we are wedded to that as a solution because we know that BME officers within the service themselves are not that supportive of positive discrimination."
The report stated: "Ten years after the publication of the inquiry report, there is still significant progress to be made - notably in relation to the career experiences of black and minority ethnic officers and the disproportionate use of stop and search procedures against black groups. Serving officers from ethnic minorities will give evidence to the inquiry both in public and in private.
"It is difficult, in light of these continued challenges, to argue that the charge of institutional racism no longer applies." Former assistant commissioner Tarique Ghaffur, who publicly accused Sir Ian of racism, spoke to the inquiry in private on Wednesday morning.
Tarique Ghaffur withdrew a claim of racism against Sir Ian BlairMr Ghaffur later withdrew the allegation against Sir Ian and has since left the Met.
The inquiry will take evidence from the Metropolitan Black Police Association (MBPA), which continues to discourage would-be recruits who are black and Asian from joining the service.
The MBPA has been highly critical of the force, which it claims is still institutionally racist.
In December, Met Commander Ali Dizaei lodged a claim of racial discrimination with the Employment Tribunal against the force, with the support of the MBPA.