Racism in Met Police is getting worse, officers tell BBC

Just weeks ago, the National Black Police Association (NBPA) withdrew its support from the plan, saying policing was not a safe occupation for black and Asian officers.

Andy George, president of the NBPA, said: “We believe that the working environment is toxic and the experiences and views of black and Asian people and civil society organisations are neither listened to nor valued. This is not an environment that the NBPA can endorse or be a part of.”

He said the Met had enabled people to work on the national race action plan, but had provided little resources for its own, local race action plan.

“We believe that this course of action is a deliberate attempt to control the activities within the national race action plan so that the MPS is not forced into making improvements in London.”

Officer A added: “Nothing has changed at the Met. You’d think they’d be talking about it, they were changing it, but there are no posters or anything on the intranet.

“Nothing about the London race action plan. It’s just lip service.”

A Met spokesperson said the force was “determined to deliver genuine change” to become a more inclusive organisation.

They said progress was being made, but it would take time for staff to feel the impact.

“It is only when that happens that we will begin to rebuild the trust and confidence of these officers whose experiences of the Met have fallen so far short of what they have a right to expect.”

Assistant Commissioner Mills added that the Met was looking at vetting processes of existing and new staff to “make sure we’re getting rid of those people who don’t uphold our high standards and values”.