Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary Race Action Plan 2024-2026
Statement from Chief Constable Scott Chilton
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary has a clear commitment to nurture an ethical and inclusive culture. This is enshrined in our Force Delivery Plan 2023-26 and underpins our efforts to police with courage, empathy and respect, delivering a public service that is anti-discriminatory.
Our officers and staff are trained and skilled in the application of their police powers. They understand the wider impact of their use, and that using them appropriately and with empathy can build community confidence that these are legitimate tactics to prevent and detect crime, keep people safe and reduce offending.
The force has strong support networks which help us to identify and drive improvements. These are backed by chief officers and have been recognised nationally for supporting those with protected characteristics. We are not complacent, and accept we have more to do to make our workplace a supportive environment where our internal culture is an enabler to inclusion, retention and progression. Included in this is an ambition for greater diversity at senior levels to allow us to maximise the benefit of different perspectives, experiences and knowledge.
Despite all of these efforts, there are times when our staff undermine the public’s trust and confidence and that of their colleagues by behaving in an unethical and discriminatory way. Our internal reporting mechanisms are strong, we investigate claims fairly and thoroughly, and we have a proven track record of removing those found guilty no matter what rank they hold.
Policing is complex, and we will not always get everything right. We will do our best to be transparent about our actions, be honest when we make mistakes, acknowledge shortcomings, and share and embed learning. This involves working closely with our internal networks, partners, independent advisors and community representatives to help shape how we police our communities.
Introduction
The murder of George Floyd by serving police officers in the USA in 2020 was a pivotal moment for policing in the UK, driving the need for real change. Whilst this tragic event happened in another country, policing across the UK has over many years had a strained relationship with some communities. Nationally the Police Race Action Plan was created to address the racial disparities and distrust associated with policing particularly for those from our Black communities.
Much has been done by policing to address racism in the police and society. Policing is more inclusive, more diverse and more reflective of our communities than it has ever been, but equally it still contains racism, discrimination and bias. Clearly policing is not unique in having issues of racism, bias and discrimination – it is a society-wide problem – but given our powers and essential role in society the standard for policing must be higher.
Our commitments
- Zero tolerance of racism and ensuring Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary (HIOWC) is anti-racist in all it does.
- Understanding and reducing our disproportionality using a reform or explain approach.
- Understanding the impact, trauma and history of policing ethnic minority communities.
- Improving outcomes and support for ethnic minority victims of crime.
- Increasing our contact with and involving ethnic minority communities in our policing and decisions that concern them.
- Recruiting, retaining and progressing a representative workforce.
- Mandating and developing a culture that supports and values all of its workforce.
Our goals
A. Representation
We want a workforce that truly reflects and represents the changing communities it serves and where all understand the business and individual benefits associated with the recruitment, retention and progression of underrepresented groups. We recognise that we need to recruit more staff and officers from Black and ethnic minority communities. This will make us more inclusive and better able to serve the public and support victims. We recognise the need to have more diversity within senior ranks and positions to allow us to maximise the benefit of different perspectives, experiences and knowledge which can help shape improvements to how we police our two counties. We will ensure we maintain a focus on making our workplace an inclusive and supportive environment where the force’s internal culture is an enabler rather than a barrier to retention and progression.
B. Respected
We want ethical policing to be delivered to all of our communities, where we police with courage and respect and deliver a public service that is anti-discriminatory and explains or reforms any disproportionality. We will use our policing powers appropriately, with empathy and due regard for the impact on individuals and communities. We will make sure our staff and officers are trained and skilled in the application of police powers and that they understand the wider impacts in the use of these powers. We want all of our communities to be confident and supportive of our use of police powers as a legitimate tactic to prevent and detect crime, keep all our communities safe and reduce offending.
C. Involved
We want to hear from all our communities, know how to reach them and understand how policing impacts them. We will be transparent about our actions and make better use of the community for scrutiny and advice. We will listen to feedback and be honest about what is possible and explain when we are unable to meet expectations.
D. Protected
We will protect all of our communities. We will put victims first ensuring that our services and response are accessible to all. We will pursue offenders and deal with offences that cause the most harm to our ethnic minority communities. We want to deliver a policing service to all of our communities and victims that we can be proud of. Our victims will be put first and treated according to their needs regardless of any differences that may exist.
Our plan 2024-2026
In order to achieve our aims and goals we have a plan which is owned by some of our most senior leaders in force to progress and deliver. There is scrutiny of this plan through the Chief Constable’s Legitimacy Board, our own Black and Ethnic Minority network (BEAM) and through engagement with our communities.
This is a summary of our plan, however if you wish to know more then please contact us using the details below.
|
Representation |
|
Training for officers and staff to include knowledge on history of policing minority ethnic communities to understand the trauma and failings of the past. |
|
Improve recruitment, retention and progression for all underrepresented groups. |
|
Publish and explain the ethnicity pay gap data. |
|
To develop an inclusive culture where difference is valued. |
|
Enhancing support for all minority officers and staff – including when they are victims of hate crime and assaults. |
|
Establish an ethnic minority mentoring scheme where mentors from ethnic minority communities work with senior police officers and staff. |
|
Respected |
|
Develop, explain or reform our approach to tackle racial disparities in the use of police powers such as stop search, vehicle stops and use of force. |
|
Ensure consistent recording, analysis, and publishing of data to the public on disparities in use of police powers. |
|
Strengthening governance on use of powers through effective supervision and community scrutiny. |
|
Improving the knowledge and skills of all officers on the use of powers, lawfulness, proportionality, necessity and cultural awareness. |
|
Involved |
|
Improving and building the evidence base on effective community engagement, sharing and piloting new approaches. Inviting scrutiny on a wide range of policing practices. |
|
Enhancing community confidence and producing local action plans to support engagement. |
|
Developing more opportunities for community involvement in policing with a focus on young people. Making sure we are accessible. |
|
Develop ideas and find solutions for developing trust and confidence between policing and ethnic minority communities based on evidence and good practice. |
|
Protected |
|
Address disproportionate victimisation and underreporting of crime among Black and ethnic minority communities. |
|
Making sure that staff and officers are trained to recognise and deal with crimes that impact the most on our Black and ethnic minority communities. |
|
Address any disproportionality in our response or outcomes for victims from Black and ethnic minority communities. |
|
Supporting and promoting the use of third party reporting schemes where appropriate to enable more accurate crime reporting and police response. |
|
Ensure processes are in place to allow all victims of hate crime to receive the best service possible according to their needs. |
|
Making sure our Professional Standards Department/complaints procedure is accessible for all. Monitoring of any racial disparities for complainants in outcomes or users. |
We are committed to ensuring that this plan is relevant to and for our communities. It will change and develop as we work through it. Should you have any comments or feedback on the plan, or if you would like to be involved in any part of it, please contact us at: [email protected]