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Press Release
Former Policing Director for London Calls on National Black
Police Association to back calls for black police officers to
refuse to undertake racist stop and searches and that the
NBPA to challenge the implicit racism of the British judicial
system.
Lee Jasper former Policing Director for London and currently Co
Chair of Black Activist Rising Against the Cuts (BARAC) and Chair
of London Race and Criminal Justice Consortium (LJRC) will
address the National Black Police Officers Association annual
conference (NBPA) Wednesday 17
th October 2012.
He will call for Black officers to boycott the use of racial profiling in
the discriminatory use of abusive stop and search powers. He also
will call on NBPA to lead the fight against racism in the British
judicial processes.
In addition Lee Jasper will also announce plans for national
celebration dedicating next year 2013 to celebrating the 50 years
since Dr Martin Luther Kings iconic “ I have a dream speech”
(MLK.50)
The MLK.50 2013 Campaign will celebrate throughout the 2013
the 50th anniversary of Dr Martin Luther King 1963 March on
Washington for Jobs and Freedom and his world famous “I have a
dream speech”. The year will offer an opportunity to reflect how far
we have come and how far we have to go to achieve race equality
in the UK.
Lee Jasper speaking about the state on police black community
relations said,
“ In the last 5 years relations with Black and Muslim communities
and the police have sunk to the lowest point since the 1970’s.
There are now more black officers leaving the police service than
are joining. When black officers complain of racism far to often
they face disciplinary witch-hunts. They are hugely
overrepresented in disciplinary proceeding and much more likely to
be subject of covert police surveillance.
They are routinely denied promotion when compared with their
white colleagues and 50% of those who do join subsequently leave
within 2-5yrs. On the issue of increasing diversity in the police
service we are literally going backwards.
Stop and Search rates are rising year on year and 75% of young
black men are on the police DNA database. If you’re black you are
twice as likely to be charged for a first time crime offence and less
likely to receive a caution. The acute level of concern about the
propensity of black men who die in police custody in suspicious
circumstances continues to rise. Complaints of racism against
officer are on the rise.
The advent of Police Commissioners is eroding police
accountability and there are moves afoot to abolish Community
Police Consultative Groups established to improve relations as a
result of the 1981 Lord Scarman Inquiry recommendations.
Challenging the British judiciary on the culture of racism that
poisons the well of British justice he said,
“ Britain is a nation where the colour of your skin dictates the
quality of justice. It is a fact, demonstrated by the Ministry of
Justice Section 95 reports. When it comes to black people British
justice is seen as racist justice.
Racism with the criminal justice system is on the rise with black
defendants receiving ever-longer sentences when compared to
white defendants. Since August 2011 we have seen massive
increases in the black prison population.
Justice in Britain is a colour-coded principle where black people as
suspects, witness or victims face a system that routinely
discriminates. NBPA is best place to seek to facilitate national
discussions among criminal justice organisations about how we
end the scandal of a justice system that penalises black people
simply for being black.
Fifty years after Dr King’s world famous speech we have to ask the
question; are we heading for an American judicial system where
the majority of the male prison population are black African
Americans? “
Concluding with a call to action he said,
“ Here in the Britain this calamitous state of affairs, the collapse of
black trust and confidence in Government the judiciary and the
police, comes as a direct consequence of the reckless
abandonment of the McPherson Report recommendations by the
Government, the Home Office, ACPO and police services
nationally.
The Government is clearly in contravention of Equality legislation
but the enfeebled, weak kneed and kowtowed Equality & Human
Rights Commission (EHRC) refuses to use its regulatory powers to
challenge persistent Government failure to adhere to equality
legislation.
That’s why I am calling on the NBPA to consider backing a boycott
of black officers and refuse to undertake stop and searches that
are driven by racial profiling and performance targets and to
organise the fight back against the stench judicial racism.
The Government, Association of Chief Police Officers, the Ministry
of Justice and the Home Office all need a 10,000-volt political
shock in a serious attempt shake them out of their complacency
and reset the Governments commitment to race equality.
We need to reinstitute and reinforce the recommendations
McPherson recommendations.
50 years after Kings iconic speech real race equality remains a
dream in the UK. It is time to embark on a radical campaign for
justice that can deliver equality in our lifetime. “
End.
For interviews or more information on MLK.50 2013
Campaign contact:
Lee Jasper 07984 181797email Lee-jasper@live.com
or
•
Note to Editors
The National Black Police Officers Association 12
th annual
conference is taking place at the Hilton Hotel Liverpool on between
the 16 – 18
th October 2012.
MLK.50 2013 Campaign will celebrate throughout the year the
50th anniversary of Dr Martin Luther King 1963 March on
Washington for Jobs and Freedom and his world famous “I have a
dream speech”. The year will offer an opportunity to reflect how far
we have come and how far we have to go to achieve race equality
in the UK.
We have three key aims:
1. The launch of national voter registration campaign led by the
Black Church and OBV
2. MLK.50 will organise a national March on Whitehall for Jobs
and Justice recreating the March on Washington
3. Co ordinate the development of a radical agenda for change,
capable of delivering race equality in our lifetime in
preparation for the 2015 general election.
Lee Jasper has 30-year track record in police black community
relations. Former Home Office Advisor and Policing Director for
London 2000 – 2008. He was a member of the London Criminal
Justice Board with lead responsibilities for Equalities.
