National Black Police Association (United Kingdom)

Last updated

The National Black Police Association (NBPA) is an interest group of the Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) staff of the UK police forces, founded in November 1999, which seeks to improve their working environment, to challenge racial prejudice and to enhance the quality of service to all non-white communities of the United Kingdom.

Contents

The Association defines itself as follows:

″The objective of the National Black Police Association (NBPA) is to promote good race relations and equality of opportunity within the police services of the United Kingdom and the wider community.

The NBPA works to place fairness at the heart of the Police Agenda. We do this by taking forward initiatives for the Progression of minority officers and staff; such as mentoring schemes, leadership programmes, women in policing projects supported by the National Institute for Leadership and Empowerment. The NBPA has a high Profile within the Home Office and Government Strategic Committees. As well as members of a range of decision-making steering groups, we have regular meetings with the all policing stakeholders.″

The NBPA does not have individual membership. It is made up by BPAs who each elect a representative to participate at national level on the National Executive Committee (NEC). The NBPA has been criticised by right-wing figures as a racist organisation because of its selective membership criteria based on ethnic origin. [1] [2]

Black Police Association

The first Black Police Association (BPA) was the Metropolitan Black Police Association, founded in 1994 as a joint initiative between BME police staff within the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).

This joint initiative raised concerns about the number of black staff who were leaving police forces throughout the UK. A meeting of BME staff from the MPS, known as the Bristol Seminars, led to the formation of a black support network, which formally became the UK's first Black Police Association in September 1994, launched by the MPS Commissioner Sir Paul Condon.

At the launch, Sir Paul Condon said: "I have made it clear where I stand. I see the formation of this Association as the only way forward."

On 12 and 13 October 2006, Boalt Hall, Berkeley, University of California hosted an international, multidisciplinary roundtable on the role of rank-and-file officers in police reform. [3] The roundtable was co-sponsored by the Berkeley Center for Criminal Justice, the Center for the Study of Law & Society, and the Regulatory Institutions Network at Australian National University. Included in the list of invited contributors was Superintendent Paul Wilson, Metropolitan Police Service, London, who presented his paper entitled "The development and role of a Black Police Association in the wider police modernisation agenda" [4] which serves as a useful insight into the socio-political beginnings of the UK's first black police association.

Controversy and criticism

Ali Dizaei, the former National President of National Black Police Association, was jailed for perverting the course of justice in February 2010. Anjana Ahuja a British Asian reporter for The Times criticised the organisation for its vocal defence of Dizaei and called for its disbandment, calling it "pointless and possibly harmful", asking, "why partition members of the same profession along the lines of skin colour?. [5] Whereas Minette Marrin called the NBPA "racism in action" saying "if anything is institutionally racist, in the strict sense of the term, it is the existence of the NBPA itself: it is a separatist union for officers who call themselves black." [6] Conservative MP David Davies - a white man - criticised the organisation, while speaking as a guest at a NBPA meeting, for not allowing white people to become full members, saying: "To me it is a shame that full membership of the BPA is open only to those of black, Asian or Middle Eastern origin.". [2] [1]

National Communication Network

In October 1996, a National Communication Network was formed. This network included BME police staff members throughout the UK, and soon after its formation, members of the network resolved that a national association of BME police staff members should be formed, with the motto: "One voice, strength in unity". [7]

In early 1998, four representatives of the National Communication Network met with Home Secretary Jack Straw. Three representatives from the Metropolitan Police BPA, The chairman, Paul Wilson, Executive members Leroy Logan MBE and Bevan Powell MBE were accompanied by Ravi Chand QPM Chairman of the Bedfordshire Police BPA. It was at this meeting that the Home Secretary volunteered to speak at the Met BPA Annual General Meeting, an offer which was accepted by the chairman, Paul Wilson. From this initial meeting and other meetings between the Home Office and representatives of the National Communications Network, in November 1998, the first interim executive committee of the National Black Police Association was elected to launch the NBPA. The executive committee had 14 executive members from 12 Constabularies.

In October 2009 Charles Crichlow, a Greater Manchester Police Officer, was elected President of the NBPA. [8]

In October 2013 a new Cabinet was elected. Franstine Jones, a Suffolk member of police staff was elected as the NBPA's first female President, with Nick Glynn (Leicestershire) being elected as Vice-President and Janet Hills as Chair. [9]

In October 2023, at its annual conference in Cardiff, [10] the NBPA discussed the National Police Chiefs Council's National Race Action Plan [11] concerned that it had not been given priority. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Fromm (white supremacist)</span> Canadian white supremacist

Frederick Paul Fromm is a Canadian former high school teacher, white supremacist, neo-Nazi, and perennial political candidate.

Lee Jasper is a British politician and activist. He served as Senior Policy Advisor on Equalities to the then Mayor of London Ken Livingstone until he resigned on 4 March 2008. More recently, he stood as the Respect Party candidate for the Croydon North by-election in November 2012, and is a race relations activist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ali Dizaei</span>

Jamshid Ali Dizaei is a former Commander in London's Metropolitan Police Service, Iranian-born with dual nationality, and formerly one of Britain's more senior Muslim police officers. Dizaei came to prominence as a result of his outspoken views on racial discrimination in the London Metropolitan Police and various allegations of malpractice on his part. He had received advancement after his criticism of the force following his claims of racism. He was a frequent media commentator on a variety of issues, mainly concerned with ethnicity and religion. In April 2008, he was promoted to Commander, responsible for West London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Institute of Race Relations</span> Think tank based in the United Kingdom

The Institute of Race Relations (IRR) is a think tank based in the United Kingdom. It was formed in 1958 in order to publish research on race relations worldwide, and in 1972 was transformed into an "anti-racist think tank".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Basketball Players Association</span> U.S. professional basketball player labor union

The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) is the labor union that represents National Basketball Association (NBA) players. It was founded in 1954, making it the oldest trade union of the four major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada. However, the NBPA did not get recognition by NBA team owners until ten years later. Its offices are located in the historic Park and Tilford Building in New York City. It was briefly a trade association after dissolving as a union during the 2011 NBA lockout.

Inspector Ray Powell is a senior British Police Officer who held the position of President of the National Black Police Association from September 2003 to November 2005.

The National Black Police Association (NBPA) is a national organisation of sub-regional African American Police Associations who are dedicated to promoting justice, fairness, and effectiveness in law enforcement. The NBPA has several chartered organisations throughout the United States and has associate members abroad, in Canada, Bermuda, and the United Kingdom. It is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University and College Union</span> British trade union

The University and College Union (UCU) is a British trade union in further and higher education representing over 120,000 academics and support staff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Racism in the United Kingdom</span> Manifestation of xenophobia and racism in the United Kingdom

Racism in the United Kingdom refers to negative attitudes and views on race or ethnicity within the viewpoints of groups or individuals or existing systemically in the United Kingdom. The extent and the targets of racist attitudes in the United Kingdom have varied over time. It has resulted in cases of discrimination, riots and racially motivated murders. Racism was uncommon in the attitudes and norms of the British class system during the 19th century, in which race mattered less than social distinction: an African tribal chief was unquestionably superior to an English costermonger. Use of the word "racism" became more widespread after 1936, although the term "race hatred" was used in the late 1920s by sociologist Frederick Hertz. Laws were passed in the 1960s that specifically prohibited racial segregation.

The Anti-Nazi League (ANL) was an organisation set up in 1977 on the initiative of the Socialist Workers Party with sponsorship from some trade unions and the endorsement of a list of prominent people to oppose the rise of far-right groups in the United Kingdom. It was wound down in 1981. It was relaunched in 1992, but merged into Unite Against Fascism in 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greg Clarke</span> English businessman and football administrator

Gregory Allison Clarke is an English businessman and football administrator, who was chairman of The Football Association from 4 September 2016. He resigned on 10 November 2020 after making offensive comments while talking to MPs. He was elected as the Vice President of FIFA on 7 February 2019 and resigned from this role on 12 November.

The Police Superintendents’ Association is the sole representative body for police officers in the ranks of superintendent and chief superintendent in England and Wales. Its members are the senior operational leaders in policing in the 43 Home Office forces, British Transport Police, Civil Nuclear Constabulary, Isle of Man Constabulary, the Bermuda Police Service, Royal Gibraltar Police and the Gibraltar Defence Police. The association's headquarters are in Pangbourne, Berkshire.

The Metropolitan Black Police Association is a staff association in the United Kingdom which represents officers and staff in the Metropolitan Police who are black or Asian. The Met BPA was not subsumed into the National Black Police Association and has continued to exist as an independent staff association though it supports the NBPA.

In 2015 a racial controversy developed in the United Kingdom surrounding the activities of Bahar Mustafa, a representative for Goldsmiths Students' Union. The incident resulted in media and academic discussions regarding race relations and the impact of police investigations on free speech.

The Anti-Racist Alliance (ARA) was a British anti-racist organisation formed in November 1991. It was established mainly by black activists in the Labour Party.

Labour Party Black Sections (LPBS), commonly known as Black Sections, was a caucus made up of Labour Party members of African, Caribbean, and Asian descent from 1983 to 1993. Its aims were campaigning against racism, demanded political representation of black and Asian members and establishing a group in the party.

On 16 October 1993, an anti-racism march near Welling in South East London turned violent, leading to large-scale clashes between police and protesters which left around 70 people injured. The march was intending to demand the closure of a bookshop which was the headquarters of the British National Party (BNP).

Racism is alleged to have existed in the Conservative Party since at least 1964. Conservative shadow defence minister Enoch Powell's "Rivers of Blood" speech in 1968 was both influential and widely regarded as anti-immigrant with racist overtones; the party's leader at the time, Edward Heath, condemned it, although some Conservative MPs defended Powell's speech. Since then, accusations have been made about several leading members of the party and its policies; these have related to prejudice against non-white people.

The Monitoring Group (TMG) is an anti-racist charity in the UK. It was established in Southall in the early 1980s, and originally known as the Southall Monitoring Group. Its director is Suresh Grover.

Janet Hills became president of the National Black Police Association (NBPA) in 2015-17. She was the first woman to be chair of the association in 2013. Her career in the London Metropolitan police force began at Brixton Police Station in 1991 and includes time in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the Community Safety Unit and the Human Trafficking Unit. She grew up in Croydon, and her parents are Jamaican. She was awarded an MBE in the New Year's Honours list 2021 for services to Policing and to Community Relations.

References

  1. 1 2 "MP defends police race criticism". BBC News. BBC. 29 October 2008. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  2. 1 2 "MP mix-up as wrong David Davies accuses National Black Police Association of racism". The Guardian; Press Association. 29 October 2008. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  3. ↑ "Police Reform from the Bottom Up". www.law.berkeley.edu. Archived from the original on 9 June 2007.
  4. ↑ "Archived copy". www.law.berkeley.edu. Archived from the original on 10 June 2007. Retrieved 12 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. ↑ A black police association is a bad, outdated idea Why partition members of the same profession along the lines of skin colour?, The Times
  6. ↑ A black police association – now that is racism in action, The Times
  7. ↑ "History". National Black Police Association (Official website). Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  8. ↑ Scheerhout, John (21 January 2010). "Cop vows to challenge prejudice". Manchester Evening News (MEN). Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  9. ↑ "Janet Hills – Women of Influence UK" . Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  10. ↑ "National Black Police Association Annual Conference". www.nbpaconference2023.co.uk. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  11. ↑ "The Police Race Action Plan".
  12. ↑ Holloway, Lester (November 2023). "Top cops are 'undermining anti-racist plan'". The Voice . p. 16.

See also

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.