West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson has committed to ensuring that the force recruits 1,000 new BAME police officers over the next three years to accelerate plans to make the force look more like the communities it serves.
Over the next three years West Midlands Police numbers are set to increase by at least 1,200 officers. That will require 2,750 people to be recruited, to fill the gaps left behind by retirements and those leaving the force. The PCC wants to make sure that ‘1,000 of those new officers will be from BAME communities.’
Speaking at a regional media briefing this afternoon, West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson will say:
“A variety of issues have brought people onto the streets over recent weeks, but equality and fairness is at the core. That requires the government to step-up and ensure that there are opportunities for all communities so that everyone can reach their potential, as well as the courts, health service and other agencies who influence our day to day lives. For policing there are key actions too.
“There is no simple solution, but what will make a bigger difference than anything else is ensuring that our force looks much more like the communities it serves. Presently only 10.9% of our officers are from BAME communities. That is an improvement from when I became PCC but is still not good enough.
“After a decade of shrinking officer numbers there is finally now the chance to properly address that. Over the next three years the number of police officers is set to increase by at least 1,200, that will require 2,750 people to be recruited to fill the gaps left behind by retirements and those leaving the force. I am committed to ensuring 1,000 of those new officers will be from BAME communities.
“This requires an increase in effort by West Midlands Police, but also requires those who have been sceptical towards joining the police to think again. I say to those people, if you want to change policing, then the best way is to get involved and join yourself. Change the organisation from within.
“The Chief Constable of West Midlands Police shares my commitment to make the force look like the communities it serves. This figure I hope will give even more focus to those efforts.”
Out of the force’s 6,495 officers, 706 (10.9%) are from a BAME background (these are September 2019 figures, published by the Home Office in January 2020). In 2014 there were 7,162 officers, 611 (8.5%) are from a BAME background.
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