From South Yorkshire Police
In May 2022, the Police Race Action Plan was published in draft form by National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and the College of Policing. It set out the commitments of Chief Constables in England and Wales to become an anti-racist police service.
Following the launch we held community engagement sessions in Sheffield in summer 2022, and we are now in a position to reach back out and continue our work with the Black community across South Yorkshire. There are two opportunities to attend and speak with Deputy Chief Constable Tim Forber, together with officers and staff from SYP. The details are set out below – there is no requirement to RSVP, these are open sessions for those from a Black or Black heritage community.
Date: Tuesday 21 March 2023
Time: 5.30pm – 7.30pm
Venue: SADACCA Main Hall, 48 Wicker, S3 8JB
Date: Saturday 25 March 2023
Time: 1.30pm – 5.30pm
Venue: The Unity Centre, St Leonard’s Road, Rotherham, S65 1PD.
The national Police Race Action Plan
Following the publication of the Race Action Plan, a public survey was shared nationally inviting members of the public, police officers and staff, and representatives from policing and other organisations to share their thoughts on the Plan. Its aim was to gauge levels of confidence in the plan, and the impact it would have on racial inequality in policing. More than 5,000 responses were received and key findings showed:
- Respondents were divided about whether the plan would have a positive impact.
- Respondents of a Black or mixed Black heritage tended to have less confidence in the plan than those of a white background.
- Respondents who were undecided about whether the plan would have a positive impact highlighted the need to follow through on commitments in the plan to improve policing for Black people.
The results from this survey will be considered nationally and we expect an updated Race Action Plan to be published later this spring.
This survey and its results are just one stepping stone in the police service’s journey, both nationally and at SYP, to becoming anti-racist and we remain committed to making policing better for Black people.
As a force, South Yorkshire Police has undertaken some significant gap analysis work, analysing the draft Plan and considering as a force where we can and need to do better. We are also looking at the diversity of our existing scrutiny panels to ensure there is strong representation from the Black community.
To reflect the national Plan, four workstreams have been identified, each with their own force lead:
- Use of power
- Community engagement and relations
- Not under protected against victimisation
- Internal culture and inclusivity
The feedback from our engagement sessions last summer have also fed into the work we are undertaking. There was a clear focus on traffic stops and the disproportionality around race and is now feeding into our workstream on ‘Use of Power’. The activity taking place around traffic stops has led to SYP being identified as an icebreaker by the NPCC National Race Action Plan team. This will allow us closer access to the national team, and will support in developing key aspects of our work.
We will continue to share our progress both on our channels and through community engagement.
