Metropolitan Police must improve

A new London Assembly report says the Metropolitan Police must do more to ensure its workforce better reflects the capital it serves.

In 2013, 11% of the Met’s officers were from a Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BME) background, compared with around 40% of the population in London.

Women make up a quarter of the Met’s frontline. But at senior levels they are less well represented: only 18% of officers ranked inspector or above in the Met are women. However, its representation of BME women is significantly worse — only 3% of its frontline are BME women.

The report recommends targeting BME women as a specific group and supporting flexible working to plug the rising numbers of female officers leaving the force.

Joanne McCartney, chair of the London Assembly’s police and crime committee, said: “All Londoners would benefit from a police service that thinks, looks and acts like our city.”

https://www.london.gov.uk/media/assembly-press-releases/2014/12/met-needs-to-do-more-on-diversity