IPCC assesses racism referrals from the MPS

In April the Independent Police Complaints Commission announced its intention to closely scrutinise how the Metropolitan Police Service handles racism complaints.

The IPCC advised the MPS that all public complaints alleging racism by officers in relation to incidents since 1 April, must be referred to the IPCC as part of a package of measures which are considering how the MPS responds to such complaints.

This decision was informed by public concerns, shared by the IPCC, following a number of referrals from the MPS alleging racist behaviour shown by officers.

During the period from 1 April to 31 May the IPCC received more than 50 referrals alleging racism, a large proportion of which are subject to a supervised investigation. These supervised cases are being monitored and form part of a wider thematic review.

The referrals cover a variety of allegations ranging from alleged racist language and behaviour to perceptions of discrimination. Most would normally have been dealt with by the MPS itself, but were referred to the IPCC for a limited period.  They provide a sufficient range and number for the review to be able to reach conclusions and make recommendations.  Therefore, as of Friday 1 June, only those cases which fall within the mandatory referral criteria are being referred to the IPCC.

In addition to the 54 referrals the IPCC is also carrying out a file review of a selection of 20 cases dealt with directly by the Metropolitan Police Service from the 12 months preceding 1 April 2012. The case review will allow the IPCC to assess the extent to which our guidance is being followed.

The IPCC is also currently conducting five independent investigations into allegations of racism by MPS officers.

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