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Lee Jasper's recent article on the future of the Police Race Action Plan has rightly generated significant discussion, not only across Black communities but also within policing itself.
The question now is whether Britain is finally prepared to move from dialogue to delivery.
In my recent interview with The Guardian, I argued that Prime Minister Andy Burnham has an historic opportunity to rebuild trust in public institutions, restore hope and lead a new era of democratic renewal.
That challenge extends well beyond the economy, housing or constitutional reform. It must also include policing. Policing sits at the heart of the relationship between the citizen and the state. When that relationship is strong, communities feel protected, respected and willing to participate in civic life.
When confidence breaks down, the consequences reach far beyond policing itself.
Trust in public institutions diminishes, democratic participation weakens and communities become increasingly disconnected from the very institutions designed to serve them.
Operation Black Vote has always argued that Policing is a key issue and one that has caused detriment to Black communities for decades. Black communities want safe streets, effective crime prevention and neighbourhood policing every bit as much as any other community. Indeed, Black people are more likely to be victims of crime than perpetrators of crime. We therefore have every interest in seeing policing succeed.
But success cannot simply be measured by crime statistics. It must also be measured by legitimacy. For generations, Black communities have expressed concerns about stop and search, disproportionality, the use of force and unequal treatment. These concerns are not new, nor are they confined to history.
They are reinforced whenever incidents arise that appear to demonstrate that lessons have still not been fully learned.
This week's widely circulated video of a highly distressed 14-year-old Black boy being handcuffed and arrested while playing with his white friends in the Isle of Dogs in East London has understandably caused widespread concern. The young person was subsequently released without further action, yet the incident has reignited questions about police decision-making and prompted intervention from the Mayor of London's office. For many families, this is viewed alongside earlier cases such as Child Q in Hackney, where a Black schoolgirl was strip-searched in circumstances that shocked the nation.
Together, these incidents reinforce continuing concerns about the adultification of Black children - the perception that they are too often viewed as older, more threatening and less deserving of care and protection than other children.
This is by any other definition racism – and has to stop.
Recognising these concerns should never be interpreted as being anti-police. On the contrary, it reflects a belief that policing is too important to fail. For many years I have said that ‘Policing is too important to be left to the police alone’. That is not a lazy criticism of policing. It is a recognition that policing is one of the most important democratic responsibilities we share.
The British model of policing by consent has always depended upon the confidence, participation and cooperation of the public. Consent is not automatic. It has to be earned, maintained and renewed.
This is precisely why the issues raised by Lee Jasper matter. They are not simply about one reform programme or one set of recommendations. They are about whether Britain is prepared to create meaningful systems of accountability that strengthen confidence in policing while supporting those officers who strive every day to police fairly, professionally and with integrity. Government now has an opportunity and a responsibility to lead from the front. Indeed, if this Government wants to realise its vision of creating hope, tackling inequality and rebuilding confidence in public services - policing must be part of that vision.
Stronger relationships between policing and Black communities are not a niche race issue; they are central to the health of our democracy. Trust in policing influences trust in government, participation in public life, confidence among young people, opportunities for employment and education, community cohesion and ultimately the economic and social wellbeing of this country.
For 30 years, Operation Black Vote has argued that democracy works best when people believe they have both a voice and a stake in society.
Representation matters. Participation matters. Accountability matters.
The next chapter must be about rebuilding trust. Britain has an opportunity to demonstrate that policing by consent genuinely means policing with the confidence of all communities.
All of this will require strong and ethical political leadership, institutional courage and sustained partnership with those communities whose trust have too often been taken for granted. If we succeed, we will do more than improve policing, we will strengthen our democracy itself.
This is an electoral issue for Andy Burnham and all political parties - and one which we will be a priority in this next crucial phase of OBV’s work.
David Weaver
Chair: Operation Black Vote (OBV)
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