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Pride and Prejudice: A Review of police Race Relations in Scotland

Chapter 7 Diversity

Introduction

7.1 In providing an assessment of police race relations in Scotland, HMIC felt it judicious to examine its place in the broader context of diversity. The question of whether policy on race relations should move ahead in isolation or alongside other related and mutually beneficial areas of work has been much debated. In terms of development, the focus has undoubtedly been race relations - a consequence of the large work agenda and pressure for reform which there has been in that area.

7.2 However, HMIC found a growing recognition and desire to make the Scottish Police Service better able to respond to the concept of difference in the community. Perhaps the best example of this has been the implementation of diversity awareness training for the whole of the Scottish Police Service ( see chapter two). Whilst race relations has arguably been a driving force in the implementation of the training, its content has always been wider, covering the range of minority issues found in the community. Discrimination and prejudice are tackled holistically in the training environment, with racism being an important example alongside others such as disability discrimination.

7.3 The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland has recently amended its policy and decision making infrastructure to create a permanent standing committee on race and community relations under the leadership of a chief constable. This is significant in that it will ensure the subjects within its portfolio receive sustained and high level attention. It also provides an opportunity to consolidate and build upon the external links which have been developed in the era following publication of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report. ⁵⁰ Its portfolio has race relations as a significant component but also includes other important elements which reflect the emerging work agenda in diversity. The portfolios within the race and community relations agenda are currently:

• Race
• Asylum seekers
• Lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender
• Sectarianism
• Disabled/mental health
• Gypsy/Travellers
• Older Persons' issues

Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender (LGBT)

7.4 HMIC found all forces working hard to strengthen links with the gay community. The ability to prevent and respond effectively to homophobic crime is clearly improved by having established links into that community. Under reporting of homophobic crime is a significant issue to be addressed, as the reasons for not reporting can be strong.

7.5 Historically, the attitude of the police as an organisation towards homosexuality has been perceived to be less than positive. Therefore there is much ground to be made up to increase public confidence in this respect. During the inspection HMIC found clear evidence of positive developments in this area, with numerous good examples of police forums and consultation activity taking place with the gay community. Many forces had LGBT police liaison officers established at a divisional level. Most forces had LGBT policies either published or in the final stages of development. At a national level, a LGBT police liaison forum has been established for some time and has a gay community representative in the position of chair.

7.6 Spokespersons of gay organisations were generally of the view that the police were 'getting better', although examples of bad service and displays of prejudice were still apparent.

7.7 Positive developments were also evident to HMIC in the recruitment, training and personnel functions of the police. In recruitment there were examples of targeted advertising. In training, local LGBT groups had assisted in developing training packages. For personnel issues there was considerable anecdotal evidence that LGBT issues were being responded to in a professional, sensitive, and individual-led way.

Sectarianism

7.8 Sectarianism is another area of significant concern for Scotland which needs to be addressed. Quite how this should be done is the subject of much discussion at present. One notable connected development has been the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 which amongst other things, enables courts to give statutory recognition to religious prejudice as an aggravation of a criminal offence. HMIC is also aware the Terrorism Act 2000 has been used to address aspects of sectarianism.

7.9 The Scottish Executive has recently taken a lead on this subject and published a report ⁵¹ on possible options. The police were one of a number of agencies who contributed to this report.

7.10 What is clear is that the police must be a significant partner in any strategy to deal with sectarianism and HMIC identified a strong desire within the police to be part of that multi-agency process. Any strategy will fail however without the full support of all the relevant agencies or if an over reliance is placed upon enforcement without due regard to education and social conditions.

Gypsy/Travellers

7.11 For all forces in the Scottish Police Service, the development of policy and practice towards Gypsies and Travellers has shifted from a historical perspective of public order to the more modern and less proscriptive dimension of race relations. This reflects the growing acknowledgement of travellers as a minority group that are widely subject to prejudice and discrimination within society.

7.12 All of Scotland's police forces have updated and revised their policies towards Gypsies and Travellers, with stronger links and specified police liaison officers being established and deployed.

7.13 Gypsy/Traveller issues are a key element in the diversity training which all police staff are receiving. One particularly effective training input which HMIC witnessed was in Fife Constabulary, where a member of the Traveller community spoke to participants. This had the immediate effect of reducing barriers, perceptions and stereotypes which may have been held.

Sexism

7.14 Consistent feedback during the inspection suggested that despite significant improvements over the last twenty years, sexism in the service remains an issue. Many people contended that career progression and development of women in the police service was still weighed down by ill-informed views, speculation and prejudice in the work place.

7.15 HMIC raises the issue as one which chief constables should continue to take cognisance of. There are strong links to the HMIC recommendation in Chapter 2 that positive action, if utilised, needs to be carefully implemented and properly understood by staff. Sexism was seen to be a significant aspect of the diversity training programme in all police forces.

Respecting difference

7.16 HMIC is keen to support a view of diversity that does not restrict itself to the traditional 'isms' in society. Diversity for the police should be about valuing difference - both in terms of the police service delivered and in terms of respecting difference within the police environment. The world is a complex place and everyone is different. People are often likely to associate themselves with more than one minority group.

7.17 Diversity for the police should be about acknowledging, understanding and challenging racism and sexism and homophobia and disability. It should also be about health, age, families, children, interests, diet, religion, sport, study, travel and any other aspect of human society in Scotland that might create different needs and issues for people when they come into contact with the police or come to work within the policing environment. The police need to be able to accommodate and respond to diversity as far as possible within the parameters of delivering a professional police service. A good example of this is the nature of the lay advisory group developed by Tayside Police. This embraces a range of issues including race, youth, women's issues and LGBT, conjoining them to multiply the benefit.

7.18 That society has been guilty of creating and sustaining stereotypes is not disputed. The police have done so in the past with negative consequences. During the course of its inspection, HMIC found a police service that was increasingly conscious of the importance of neither creating stereotypes nor making ill-informed assumptions.

Summary

7.19 HMIC endorses the approach taken by ACPOS and individual chief constables to widen its race and community relations strategies to encompass the broad range of minority groups in society. It also notes that police forces remain cognisant of the fact that police race relations has the potential to generate particular and acute issues which need focused and sustained activity to resolve them successfully.

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